Ambivalent
by Chinadollsoldier
Summary: She knew he was trouble the first time she laid eyes on him. Their developing relationship throughout highschool was not an easy path to follow, hell it wasn't an easy one to live. Izanamie. Mild Shizunami. AU
1. Origins

**A/n: This fic was inspired by the izanamie fic "Childhood" by the aspiring cynic. It's a really good fic and if you like this one you will differently like that one go check it out here**

 **s/8383531/1/Childhood**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Durarara or any of its characters.**

From the moment Namie saw him walk into her classroom her mood immediately soured. Her teacher was introducing him as the new student in her class, Izaya Orihara. Why she hated him was kind of a long story. It all started the summer before school started.

Namie was helping her mom cook dinner and clean the kitchen. "Namie, go make sure the stew isn't being overcooked."

She checked on the stew to make sure the temperature wasn't to high and then returned to making the deserts. "I don't see why we're cooking for these people."

"Because we are welcoming them into this community, it would be rude not to invite them over and cook for them." Namie rolled her eyes, she loved her mom to some degree, but could never figure out why she did her random acts of kindness. Like helping someone pick up trash they knocked over, or picking up money they dropped... And giving it back to them.

"They're strangers, according to society's social standards we don't have to do shit for them."

"Bite your tongue,young lady!"

Namie ignored her mom and finished up her kitchen duties then ran upstairs to wake up her brother and make him get dressed. Afterwards she took a shower and put on a blue summer dress, with black flats. By the time she was out the bathroom the doorbell ringed.

She came downstairs just as her mother, father, and brother were greeting the new neighbors. It was a family of five.

The father was friendly-looking, but just from his appearance she could tell he was a businessman. The mother was beautiful in all honesty, but she wore way too much make up. There were also twin little girls, they were dressed the same and had the same hairstyles, and even acted similarly enough to the point that it was almost strange. Her eyes finally moved over to the older brother. He was only about an inch taller than her, he had dark hair and eyes with a hint of blood in them. Honestly, he intimidated her and she immediately resented him for that.

The two families grabbed plates of food and settled around the kitchen table. Her father began to to talk about football with , while her mother began to gossip about other neighbors with . The twins, Mairu and Kururi, were both playing with their food. Izaya, on the other hand, was on his phone and didn't seem interested in anything going on around him. As a matter of fact, neither was Namie, she placed her dishes in the sink and began to walk towards the stairs. "Namie!"

She turned around to see a stern look on her mother's face.

"How rude. Do you really plan on leaving without speaking one word to Izaya? Give him a tour of the house."

Namie rolled her eyes and motioned for Izaya to follow her upstairs.

Other than his rude side comments about what poor taste her family has in interior design, which was exactly what her mom was, he didn't say much during the tour and it was over in no time. At the end of the her little tour they went back downstairs to join their respective families.

"What's behind that door?" The question came out of nowhere,but it was the only room she did not show him.

"My Dad turned the basement into his office, it's nothing interesting, besides I prefer not to go down there."

Namie's dad was a coroner, whenever he disappeared into that basement he came back smelling like death and usually had some unknown substance on his hands. Whatever was down there, she did not want or need to see.

"You prefer not to go down there or you're scared of going down there?"

Namie simply glared at the boy as he walked past her and went down the stairs, she followed closely behind him. Her dad's office had a computer and walls filled with pictures of corpses. Some of the pictures were even labeled stab wound, gun wound, disease,etc.

To be honest, the office disturbed her, but at the same time it intrigued her.

"I guess this is where my dad gets his morbid sense of humor from. It's almost sad that he spends so much of his time down here."

Namie tries not to let her dislike for her parents show, but the comment made her seem judgmental, and it wasn't one Izaya appreciated.

"It looks like your father and I share a similar hobbie, except I like to study the nature of humanity, whereas he studies the physical aspects. Besides,a forensic medical examiner is a decent profession, who are you to talk down about it."

Namie almost didn't catch the insult he threw at her. His tone was so polite that it lead her into a false sense of security.

"Same hobbies you say? You must be a serial killer, I wouldn't be surprised."

Izaya turned towards Namie with a malicious smile on his face.

"You distrust me already? But you haven't even seen me at my worst yet."

"Call me a clairvoyant." Namie said with sarcasm dripping from her mouth.

Izaya walked back up the stairs with Namie following, before she closed the door he asked her a question.

"Namie are you scared of me?"

She gave him an expression of annoyance and responded with a simple "no." She then tried to walk away put Izaya put his hand on the wall to block her way out. He placed the palm of his hand on her stomach, leaned in close to her, and whispered in her ear "Good."

Next thing she knew she was flying down into the darkness and hit the floor hard and the little rectangular ray of light she could she in her blurred vision was slammed closed.

From the moment she laid her eyes on him, she knew he was trouble, but she did not expect him to be easily willing to put another person in harm's way. Namie realized that she didn't truly know what extremes he would be willing to take to complete a task, but she avoided him for the rest of the summer.

When he was outside, she was inside, when his family was visiting, she was visiting Celty. She later found out that she was knocked unconscious for 6 hours after she had fallen down the stairs before Seiji realized she was missing, she had a minor concussion, but ultimately she was fine. And now here she was, in 7th grade, with her teacher introducing Izaya Orihara as a new student.

.

.

.

Izaya observed the classroom left to right, from the girls who swooned over him to the antisocial boys in the back corner. He took the seat that was in the first row in the classroom, and last column next to the window, right by the boy named Shinra.

Shinra was the closest thing that Izaya ever had to a friend, but Izaya equally loved him just like he loved the rest of his humans. Shinra was honestly annoying and low-key an asshole, other then that he loved science and was infatuated with a girl in their class named Celty. In the seat in his column on the last row was Namie Yagiri. He could tolerate her bad attitude, sarcastic comments, and discourteous nature, but her lack of reaction to his action is what vexed him. After the tumble she took down the basement stairs she completely avoided him.

No anger, no sadness, just avoidance, but no matter how indifferent she acted towards him, she was still human. He would break through the walls she had up and peek at the secrets she hides behind them, it became a personal goal to him. It would be a while before he actually pursued it, after all he just found 20 other humans to experiment on.

The bell that indicated the end of class started ringing and every kid packed up their stuff and exited the building. After he was outside he was immediately approached by one of the girls from his class.

"Excuse me, but my friend over there really likes you, her name is Sakura, do you like her?"

The girl pointed to another girl who was blushing and giggling with her group of friends. A smile, that could rival the one of a Cheshire Cat,had formed on Izaya's face. He would have lots of fun in this town, just like he did in the last.


	2. School days

A/N: Hoped you liked the first chapter, here is the second

-—–—–—-—–—–—–

Izaya became really popular, really fast and Namie just didn't understand it, it slightly irritated her that no one could see what she could. She wish she could tell everyone in her class that she told them so, because by the end of the year three kids had transferred to another school district and friendships were broken.

For example, Sakura was a girl once considered 'popular', but her nudes were leaked by two of her ex boyfriends that were fighting over her.

Speaking of those two ex boyfriends, they were once best friends. One day they accused each other of leaking Sakura's nudes, to make a long story short, they ended up fighting and they both got expelled. Namie can't remember the last time she saw the girl speak. She suspected that Izaya had something to do with it, after all she has seen her come to his house several times. Poor Sakura's story was just one example of the damage Izaya could do.

The really sad part was that he got away with shit like that, someway, somehow. Besides herself, Celty, and possibly that Shinra kid, there was only one other student that knew Izaya Orihara's true nature and that was ... Shizuo Heiwajima. She didn't think anyone could hate Izaya more than she did, but Shizuo proved her wrong. Every morning and afternoon he picked up vending machines, trash cans, light poles, etc. and threw them at Izaya. Unfortunately, he dodged most of the items.

Suddenly, the lunch bell ringed and everyone emptied out into the hallway to go to the cafeteria. It was the last week of the year and Namie couldn't wait to get it over with. She got in line, grabbed a tray with soup and grilled cheese, and looked around. Her only friend was Celty, but she was sitting at Izaya's table because she had recently started dating Shinra. Namie swallowed her pride and went over to sit down.

"Namie, how nice of you to join us." Izaya said with a big smile.

Namie looked over at Celty to see Shinra whispering in her ear and Celty giggled at everything he was saying. In the meantime Izaya had moved over to sit right next to Namie.

"Just look at our new couple, aren't they just adorable."

Namie looked at Izaya with confusion.

"Our, new couple? I want nothing to do with anything associated with you."

Izaya smile grew due to the fact that Namie even responded to him.

"You seem a little bit more irritable then usual. Well, you can always confide in me or is it just that time of the month?"

Namie couldn't pinpoint why, but she wanted to challenge Izaya in every way. The smart thing to have done would have been to ignore him and walk away, but things were never that simple, at least not with him.

"There's nothing wrong with me, but there is an unusual stench in the cafeteria today." Namie made a gesture towards Izaya while she made her comment.

Izaya put his hand to his chest and faked a hurt face.

"You wound me Namie, why can't we just be friends?"

Namie looked at him with a glare on her face.

"I pity anyone who is your friend."

Izaya wasn't smiling anymore, instead there was a subtle smirk on his face and Namie did not like it. She had seen the look before, it appeared on his face when he had an agenda for somebody. Izaya leaned in close to whisper into her ear.

"but Namie, you're my Friend as well, so do you pity yourself?"

The last time he whispered a question into her ear, he sent her flying down the stairs. Would he try something here? In front of the cafeteria? Or maybe save her for later, and come up with some elaborate plan to fuck up her life?

Namie quickly grabbed her tray and book bag to get up and throw away her trash. But Namie turned and immediately heard the words " I'm gonna kick your ass!". Suddenly, a body ran into her and knock her tray of soup onto her clothes. She looked up to see that it was Shizuo who had accidentally ran into her.

"Oh shit, sorry about that, I'll help you get it off."

He took a handful of napkins and started wiping them on Namie's shirt.

She rolled her eyes, did he really think that was going to get anything off. Namie pushed his hand away when she realized everyone in the cafeteria was staring at them.

"It's fine, It wasn't that good of a shirt anyway."

She was about to walk away, but He was persistent about helping her.

"No, I'm going to help you."

He picked her up and put her on his shoulders and carried her out of the cafeteria.

"what are you doing I just said its fine!"

Shizuo ignored her comment and found a bathroom, when he saw that it was locked, he kicked it open.

He set Namie down, grabbed and wetted a bunch of napkins, and continued to try and clean the stain. Namie again rolled her eyes at the attempts he was making to help her.

She grabbed his hands to stop him again.

"I'll be fine, barely anybody even knows my name, let alone notices me."

Shizuo looked at her with confusion.

"I notice you, your name is Namie Yagiri, you don't say much, but I see those judge mental expressions you occasionally get on your face, besides you're pretty easy to look at."

She didn't really know how to respond to his compliment. She was pretty sure she intimidated most of the boys, so they steered clear of her. She looked away and mumbled a quiet thanks to Shizuo.

After a minute or two he finally gave up on the napkin plan.

"Okay, since the napkin plan isn't working out, you can borrow my jacket, but please don't put it over that dirty shirt."

Namie took off her shirt and revealed the tank top she had underneath. She took his black jacket and put it on. It fitted her nicely and it was sort of cute on her, she didn't think she would give it back. The school bell ringed to indicate lunch was over.

"Well, I have to get back to class, nice meeting you."

And with that he left the bathroom. Namie stayed for a little longer, she looked around at the urinals and realized that the fool brought her into the boy's bathroom.

She immediately exited and went back to her class. She got through the rest of the school day fairly easy. When school ended, Celty easily found Namie and caught up with her.

"So what happened during lunch period?"

Namie rolled her eyes at the stupid question.

"You should know, you were there."

Celty softly hit Namie on the shoulder for her response.

" No I mean after Shizuo carried you away like superman and where did you get this jacket from?"

It was a surprise to herself, but Namie almost didn't want to tell Celty. Every piece of info she gave to Celty could be given to Shinra, and what Shinra knows, Izaya knows.

"He couldn't get the stain off so he gave up and left, I found this jacket in the lost and found."

Celty leaned in to smell it.

"Well, it smells like cigarettes, you should throw it away before you get home. Your parents catch a whiff of that and you'll be on lockdown."

Namie made a mental note to hide the jacket when she walks into her house.

"I'm coming over to your house today to get my motorcycle, is it still there?"

Namie then decided to make a change in topic. "Yeah it is, more importantly I see you and Shinra are getting along really well.

"Celty's face lit up at the very mention of him.

" He's such a romantic, and cute to, sometimes he even nerds out about science and technology. I thought it was strange at first, but now it's endearing..."

Namie zoned out of Celty's rant, they were getting close to her house, but she looked across the street at Izaya's house to see a black van parked in his driveway. He was talking to the driver. She was only able to see the driver give Izaya some money before they sped away. Izaya looked over to see Namie staring at him, he smiled at her and waved. Celty snapped Namie out of her gaze by waving her hand in front of her face.

" Are you even listening to me?"

Namie quickly adapted back into the conversation.

"You said something about Shinra right?"

"Yeah, we would like to have a double date at the carnival this weekend, but for that to happen you and Izaya have to get along."

Namie rolled her eyes at the idea, ever since Celty and Shinra began dating, they've both tried to play peacemaker between her and Izaya. Personally, she thinks that the reason she hates him so much is because he's an asshole and her life forces her to see him almost every waking hour. At school, outside her house, sometimes at home, she swore he would drive her into insanity.

"I doubt I can go, my parents will be out of town as per usual, and I have to take care of my brother. Besides, I don't think I can stomach being around Izaya for that long."

Celty stopped in front of Namie's house and began to beg her.

"Please just think about, you'll be fine and believe me your smart-ass six year old brother can take care of himself."

Namie gave Celty a look of disbelief before finally agreeing.

" Fine, I'll think about it."

Celty gave Namie a big hug, hopped on her motorcycle and drove away. Namie walked in to see Seiji watching tv on the couch. Seiji looked at Namie and then turned his attention back to the tv.

"Mom and dad left, while you were at school, they said they'll be back Sunday. They left money for us on the counter."

Namie went over to the counter and counted $50. ' How considerate of them.' She sarcastically thought to herself. She made Seiji a sandwich and put him to bed around 8:30. Not to long afterwards, someone ringed the doorbell.

When she looked through the peephole she rolled her eyes. 'It would be him.' She opened the door to see the tired face of Izaya. Namie is generally shocked, it's the first time she she's he greets her without that nefarious smile of his. " What do you want." Her voice was filled with nonchalance and indifference,but on the inside she wanted to tell him to go the fuck away. "My parents told me to deliver this pasta to your house, they know your parents are gone so they thought it would help. Personally, I think this pasta is disgusting, and that you should throw it away."

Namie opened her door slightly to let Izaya inside. " Just go and place it on the kitchen counter." He walked in and did as he was told.

Namie couldn't help, but wonder what he was doing with those men outside of his house.

"So who were those guys you were talking to in the black van?"

A hint of a smirk formed on Izaya's face.

"Nobody you know, but they are helping me with a small business I have on the side that I could always use some help with. Are you interested?"

Namie scoffed at the idea.

"I'm sure I've told you that I want nothing to do with anything associated to you, I was just curious."

Izaya shrugged and started to leave before Namie asked another question.

" What kind of business is it?" Izaya let out a small laugh before responding.

" That information is confidential unless you decide to help me." Namie considered his offer for a split second before coming back to her senses.

"I don't care anymore, just go."

Before she could push him out, Izaya quickly wrote his number on the inside of her arm.

" Call me, if you change your mind." Namie slammed the door on him and ran upstairs to take a shower.

.

.

.

Izaya stayed outside of Namie's door until he heard her run up her stairs. He chuckled to himself about what just happened. The reactions Namie had towards him amused him. It was like having an inside joke with himself. She was still an enigma to him, but at least he made his presence so real, that she could no longer ignore and avoid him.

He silently walked back to his own house. When he got back to his room he grabbed his duffel bag went back outside. He hopped into his car and quietly rode away to his destination he had for that night.

Comment, Review, let me know what you think.


	3. The choices she makes

**_Enjoy_**

It was Friday, the last day of of 9th grade and Namie couldn't have been happier. She could finally get away from the dumbass, hormonal, teenagers, even if it was only for two months. She didn't have anything to at the moment, and her teacher was strict on the no phones policy.

She looked over at a group of kids playing with cards, upon closer inspection she realized they were gambling. Namie had $10 in her pocket and she was pretty good at the game Spades. She walked out of 7th period with a $145 and a smile on her face. She walked out a met Celty in their usual spot outside the school.

" What are you so happy about?" Namie took all the money out her pocket and showed Celty.

"I just won $145, you should have seen the way I played those amateurs."

"Be careful Namie, you're in danger of developing a huge ego."

"Who says I don't already have one." Their conversation was cut short when a desk got thrown threw one of the school's front windows.

"I-ZA-YA!" Shizuo's voice could be heard by everyone outside. Izaya jumped through the now broken window, he was perfectly fine besides a few cuts and scrapes, but he had an angry Shizuo chasing after him. Shizuo was the one that looked like he got a desk thrown at him. His eyes was filled with rage and a streak of blood coming from his head covered a bit of his face.

Izaya was running down the street, before anyone had a full grasp of what was happening. Shizuo grabbed a trash can and threw it in Izaya's direction. Unfortunately, Shizuo threw the trash can to far and it landed on somebody's parked car. Namie did not know what to make of Shizuo. The guy was insane when it came to Izaya or fighting, and he walks around with a scowl on his face, but he was oddly gentle when he tried to clean her shirt.

When he realized Izaya got away he calmed down a bit, but that same scowl on his face did not disappear. All of the students in the school's front yard were running away and dispersing. Namie quietly and slowly took a couple of steps towards Shizuo.

"I can bandage you up, if you want."

Celty looked at Namie with uncertainty. "Namie, I'm sure he can handle himself, but don't you think we should get going."

She ignored Celty's comment and continued to talk to Shizuo. "Think of it as me repaying you for that jacket."

Shizuo finally turned towards Namie and snapped out of his previous gaze. " It's fine, I can handle it."

Celty looked at Namie with utter shock. "That jacket you had was his?!"

Namie continued to ignore Celty's side comments. "That's exactly what I said to you about my shirt, now I'm definitely helping you, whether you like it or not."

Shizuo shrugged his shoulders and started walking down the street. Namie began to follow, until Celty stopped her.

"So that's it, you're ditching me just like that."

Namie gave Celty a look of indifference. "I'll make it up to you another day."

A skeptical expression appeared on Celty's face. "How?"

In that moment, Namie made a decision she wish she could take back. " I'll go on that carnival double date with you."

Celty immediately walked over to her motorcycle with a face of satisfaction. Namie looked back to see that Shizuo was patiently waiting on her. The walk to his house was silent and slightly awkward and it was only a 5 minute walk. Most of the kids that went to Namie's school lived in neighborhoods around the school, and Shizuo was no exception. After a while she realized that Shizuo was walking towards her neighborhood, but she lived in the back, while he lived closer to the front of it.

She wondered if Shizuo knew that Izaya also lived in this neighborhood. If he didn't knew, she wasn't about to tell him. As much as she disliked Izaya, she didn't want a random mailbox to he accidentally thrown through her window. By now most people have realized that Shizuo had bad aim.

Shizuo opened the door and allowed Namie to enter first. She immediately went to the bathroom and grabbed bandages, disinfectant spray, and scissors. When she came out Shizuo was already sitting in a chair. She observed his head wound. It was a gash the size of a nickel. She cleaned it and then wrapped it up. He stared at her the whole time, and it made her extremely uncomfortable, she doubted he even realized it.

"The cut on your head is a little big, I wrapped it up, but you should go to the doctor because you might need stitches."

"Shizuo?"

The voice came from the front door. Namie looked over to see a boy standing at the front door. He had a nonchalant expression on his face and was possibly a middle schooler. Shizuo stood up and guided his brother to the stairs.

"Kasuka, I'll find us something to eat soon, I have to finish up down here first." The boy nodded his head and proceeded up the stairs.

"Where are your parents?" Namie asked. Shizuo lit a cigarette and started scratching his head.

"My mom is dead and my dad travels a lot for work, he sends us money to take care of ourselves, though."

Suddenly, Namie's phone notified her of a text message. 'where are you?' Was sent from her brother.

She looked back up at Shizuo and saw that he was digging through his refrigerator. "I should really get going." She started to leave, but Shizuo grabbed her wrist.

"Wait, I'll walk you."

Namie shook her head in decline. "I actually live close by."

"Then it shouldn't be that far of a walk." He said while putting on his coat.

They silently walked together in the evening light. When they got near her house, Namie noticed that the black van was parked outside Izaya's house again, she began to wonder if his parents knew about his little side business. Namie stopped in front of her house when she got to it.

"This is it, thank you for walking me, even though I specifically asked you not to."

A smile broke out into Shizuo's face. "Is that sarcasm I hear in your thank you."

Namie rolled her eyes and began to walk to her front door, until she heard a stomach's deep rumble.

She debated whether to keep walking or turn back. 'Damn it all' she thought to herself. She ran back towards Shizuo.

"Wait right here for a second." Shizuo looked at her with confusion as she ran back inside her house. Namie grabbed the untouched pasta out of her refrigerator and gave it to Shizuo.

"I've been told that this pasta is disgusting, but if you're really desperate, go right ahead and eat it." Shizuo slowly took the pasta, like he didn't believe that he just got it.

" I always thought you were a mean bitch..." He said it with a straight face and Namie was ready to slap him. "...but now I know you're a mean bitch with some redeeming qualities and that evens you out in my eyes."

She didn't know whether to take it as an insult or compliment. Shizuo came up to rest his hand upon her cheek.

"Stay evil doll face." Namie was at a lost for words. She truly did not know what to make of Shizuo Heiwajima.

"Oh and thanks for bandaging me, even though I specifically asked you not to." He yelled back at her in the same sarcastic way she said it to him earlier.

Namie walked back into her house, she took a shower, laid in her bed, and stared at the ceiling for a while. Today, she had put out so much kindness in the world, that she wasn't even willing to admit to it.

Little did she know that the boy across the street was ecstatic at the fact that he witnessed the short scene between the two teenagers.

Namie woke up that Saturday morning with a headache. It was the first day of summer and yet she just wasn't as happy as she was supposed to be. Maybe it was because she had a double date to go to that night. She got up for the day and made oatmeal for herself and Sheji. Her brother came downstairs around the time Namie was finishing her bowl of oatmeal.

"Seiji, I'm going out tonight, I'm leaving sandwiches in the refrigerator."

He nodded his head and continued eating, before he saw my arm.

"Sis, what's that written on your arm." She looked down to see that he was talking about the faded ink that was Izaya's number.

"It's nothing important."

Namie loved her brother, he was similar to her in many ways. The mere fact that he was only six and would be fine with being home alone really impressed her. Although he never said much, not to their parents, nor his teachers. The only time he really talked to Namie was when he wanted something, so that she could get it or relay the message to their parents and she was pretty sure or at least hopeful that he has one friend. Somehow she new that Seiji loved her to, from the way he clings to her in public or when they're with guest. After all, Namie takes care of him the most.

She was awoken out of her thoughts when her phone started to ring, it was Celty, she ran to her room and answered it.

"Hello" Namie answered with boredom clearly in her voice.

"Me and Shinra are riding together to the carnival, do you think you can ride with Izaya and meet us there."

Namie rolled her eyes, she should've saw this coming, of course they were riding together, the two lovebirds were almost inseparable.

"Whatever Celty."

Namie hung up the phone and began to pick out an outfit. She wore a white tank top with Shizuo's jacket zipped halfway up, blue skinny jeans, and black and white Vans for shoes.

She hung around her house until 7:30 then made her way over to Izaya's. His front door was unlocked so she walked in to see his twin sisters dancing in the middle of the living room. One twin was dancing with excitement and energy, while the other had slow, awkward movements. Last time Namie saw these two little girls they acted exactly the same, what could've changed in a year?

Their hairstyles were even different, one had a braid, while the other kept their hair loose. Well, their fashion taste hasn't changed they both still dress exactly the same. Izaya came downstairs, looked at Namie, grabbed his car keys, and walked out the door.

"What happened over the past year to make your sisters change so much?"

Izaya backed out of his driveway and laughed as he remembered the mistake he made that changed his sisters.

" I made the mistake of telling them, what they were."

Namie became annoyed at the vagueness he used to answer the question, she waited until they were driving on the road before asking him again.

"What did you say to them?"

Izaya paused before he answered, as if he was reconsidering answering Namie's question.

"I told them they were exact replicas of each other and the there was no point in them living as individuals, if there was always an extra. And now they try to be each other's opposite."

"Well no shit dumbass, telling a 4 year that there is no reason for them into live, is going to cause some self-questioning."

Izaya basically ignored her statement. Namie rolled her eyes, she didn't know why she was trying to argue with him, the damage was done. After a while Namie had another question.

"Why did you hesitate to answer me earlier."

A smile formed on Izaya's face.

"I've answered one to many questions this evening for you Namie, I hope you intend on returning the favor."

Namie nodded her head in agreement, and Izaya continued to answer her question.

"I don't like giving away to much information about myself, because information is power."

Namie scoffed at his belief. "Please, what am I going to do with a little info about your sisters."

"A little info can go a long way. Now I have a couple of questions for you."

The smile on his face got even bigger. Namie began to become nervous, she didn't think she had any major secrets, but the look on Izaya's face made it seem like she did.

"Are you dating Shizuo Heiwajima?"

Namie looked at him with confusion. "Where did you even get that idea from? And to answer your question ,no, I barely know the guy."

The smile on Izaya's face did not fade. " let's just say, I've seen things that tell me otherwise."

Namie thought about all the encounters she's had with Shizuo, there were a few to choose from. Besides Celty, she doesn't think anyone knows he carried her to the bathroom, Shizuo would've noticed if somebody followed them to his house, it must've been when she gave him pasta that Izaya saw the two of them together.

Izaya's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Next question, Why did you avoid me the days following the fall you took down the stairs."

Namie glared at Izaya he refused to own up to the actions he took that day.

"Well, I realized that you were much worse than a troublemaking teenager, you are an ingenious sociopath. What I want to understand is what your goals are."

Izaya pulled the car into the parking lot of the carnival.

"Well that's easy, I want nothing more than to examine my humans and the actions they take in different scenarios."

Namie got out the car and began walking towards the ticket booth, before Izaya grabbed her hand. He held both of her hands in each of his and was using his height to hover over her.

"Last question Namie, will you help me with a small business of mine."

His face no longer held a smile, he seemed serious, which was a first for Namie. He always had a smile, smirk, or just a face of boredom. She still needed time to think about it, after all he wasn't telling her what kind of business or what she would even be doing.

She looked up at him and he was patiently waiting for her answer.

"I'll let you know,by the end of this night." The answer must've satisfied Izaya because he began walking towards the ticket booth. What surprised her was that he kept his grip on one of her hands. She knew it was suppose to be a date, but she felt trapped with him, like he finally had caught her.

Namie had a decision to make by the end of the night, but was it really her choice to make. If she told him no, would he accept that answer and stop bothering her about it. She doubted it, when it came to Izaya, nothing was simple.

Who caught the "Suicide Squad" reference?


	4. A game for two

**_One reader has asked if this story is Au and id the setting is still placed in Japan. To answer their question,yes this story is Au and the setting is in Japan, but there is western influence mixed into it. I hope that clears up any confusion._**

Namie never trusted carnivals. They were constantly building the rides, tearing them down, and moving them somewhere else. It didn't seem like a stable system to her. The only things she would even go near were the games on the side. Celty and Shinra felt differently.

They were running around hopping onto rides and playing games, like it was their own personal playground. Izaya mostly remained with Namie, and they played Mini games together, but the loser had to give the winner money.

After constantly losing and gaining money, Namie only had $110 out of the original $145.

"I should stop going up against you, I'm losing more money than I'm gaining."

Izaya had a relaxed smirk on his face and Namie was relieved to finally see a smirk that didn't have malevolent intent hidden behind it.

"Oh Namie, if you can't keep up all you have to do is say so. How about this, we take a break and go get a funnel cake, since I've taken so much money from you, the least I could do is pay the bill."

It was moments like this that irritated Namie.

It was like he was naturally an asshole. As they waited in line, she looked around for Celty and Shinra. When they first walked into the park Celty was not happy to see that Namie was wearing Shizuo's jacket. They were all together at first, but when the couple got out of her eyesight they were never to be seen again that night.

Izaya paid for the funnel cake and found a small table to sit at.

"Wonder where the two lovers went?" Izaya asked after a while.

Namie rolled her eyes, she was slightly mad at Celty for disappearing, but what could she say , the new couple was in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, they 'are' inseparable . She would have to get use to Celty being MIA. Now that she thought about it, being around Izaya isn't so bad, when he's not trying to manipulate her. She had a feeling that Shinra dragged him here too,and he was trying to get through the night same as her.

"Do you know how to play Spades?"

The smirk on Izaya's face grew into a smile.

"Yes I do know, would you like to play?"

A smile of her own appeared on Namie's face. She pulled a deck of cards out of her purse, and placed them on the table.

"The Game is 3/5. Winner takes all."

It's was a hard and long battle, Namie won the second and fourth rounds, but in the end Izaya won all of the money. The carnival was closing by the time they were done with their game.

"You are a cheater." Namie said the words with a quiet anger, while Izaya counted her money.

"I only began to cheat, when I realized you were cheating, that evens out the playing field right."

Namie ignored him and began to look around for Celty and Shinra. Izaya grabbed Namie's hand and started walking to the exit.

"We should just go, they probably left the carnival a while ago."

Namie knew he was right, Celty and Shinra probably left a while ago. Namie didn't want to admit it to herself, but she was beginning to miss her closest friend. If Celty was always with Shinra, who would she hang out with over the summer? She decided not to dwell on it to much, either way she would be fine. Namie took a nap during the drive back to her house, she woke up when they started getting close to it.

When Izaya pulled into Namie's driveway he locked the doors and turned towards her.

"You know you can earn back all the money you loss tonight Namie. Just say 'yes'."

She hadn't even been thinking about Izaya's earlier question. It wasn't like she had anything else to do over the summer, and earning a little money on the side wouldn't hurt. She turned towards Izaya with her mind made up.

"Yes, I'll help you."

The smile on Izaya's face grew wide.

"On 12:00 Tuesday morning be fully dressed, preferably dark colors. Than, look outside your window."

He unlocked the car doors and Namie got out the car. When she got inside she found that Seiji was asleep and that he left one of the dim kitchen lights on for her. She went upstairs to change and hopped onto her bed. She found herself staring at the ceiling and wondering if she had just made a mistake.

Namie's parents came home Sunday morning, just like Seiji said they would.

"Welcome back. How was your trip?" Namie greeted them with best attitude she could muster. Her dad simply went to his office and her mom ignored her greeting.

"Walk your brother to the bus stop, today is his last day of Sunday school, and they're giving out awards he needs to receive."

Namie rolled her eyes and went upstairs to get her brother. She put on her new favorite black jacket and exited the house with Seiji.

Namie was a hundred percent sure that her mother favored Seiji over herself, even though Seiji hadn't spoken a word to their mother since he was three. But she didn't know why her mother disliked her so much. Namie didn't particularly care, but she was curious as to the reason.

She dropped Seiji off at the front of the neighborhood, where the bus came to pick him up. She began to walk back home, but she walked past Shizuo's house as he was taking out his trash and he called out to her.

"Hey, you!"

Namie continued to walk faster and hoped he would just leave her alone. To her dismay, Shizuo ran past her and stood in front of her. The expression on Namie's face turned into one of impatience.

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to thank you for the pasta again. It tasted really good. Whoever told you otherwise is kind of an asshole."

Her thoughts immediately went to Izaya, 'that bastard'.

Shizuo continued with what he was saying. "Anyway, I was hoping to finally get my jacket back."

Namie immediately grabbed The jacket she was wearing and held it closer. "If you were really grateful for the pasta, then you'd let me keep the jacket."

Shizuo immediately backed away with his hands up.

"The jacket is all yours then, I was just wondering if you wanted to come inside and hang out or something."

The expression on Namie's face turned skeptical.

" Why do 'you' want to hang out with 'me'."

The look on Shizuo's face made it seem like the answer was obvious.

"You seem really cool, and it's not like either one of us is busy."

Namie took a second to consider his offer. She didn't have anything else to do, it's not like her parents were eager to see her, she didn't see a reason not to go with him. "I guess staying here for a while wouldn't hurt."

Shizuo smiled and led her back to his house. He opened his room door to let Namie enter first and stepped in after her. Laying on his bed was another friend of Shizuo's, Tom Tanaka. They both looked at each other with uncertainty.

"Tom this is Namie, Namie this is Tom."

Tom got up to give Namie a hug, but the gesture was a bit too familiar for her taste. So she ignored it, took a seat on Shizuo's floor and got on her phone. Tom laid back on the bed, but he stilled stared at Namie with a face of confusion. He eventually leaned in to wisper something in Shizuo's ear.

"Why did you invite that boring girl to come hang here?" Namie heard him loud and clear, she immediately turned around.

"I'm the boring one!" She looked Tom up and down with a face of surprise. "I doubt it." Namie looked around the room and picked up deck of cards. "I'm probably better than you in every single way.".

Tom stepped off the bed and approached Namie.

"Is that a challenge?"

"What did it sound like to you?"

Tom nodded his head in agreement, but he picked up one of Shizuo's video games and took the deck of cards out of Namie's hand.

"If you can beat me in 1 round of my favorite video game,than I will admit that you are not boring and better than me in everyway."

She didn't feel the need to have to prove anything to a boy she just met, but she was slowly realizing how competitive she the carnival night, Namie didn't think it would be wise of her to get into another competition with somebody, but she loved competing and winning.

"Let's make this a little more interesting. Winner gets 50 dollars."

It was always nice to sweeten the deal, besides she needed to fill the hole Izaya made in her wallet. Tom nodded in agreement and sat on the floor and picked up a controller and Namie did the same.

Shizuo took Tom's previous spot on his bed and shook his head in disbelief.

"I invite you into my house and 3 minutes later you've already found a way to possibly earn money."

A slight smirk appeared on Namie's face before she responded to Shizuo's comment. "What can I say, I work fast."

Tom paused the game before it started to reiterate the rules to Namie.

"We will play to 30 rounds, If you can't beat me after the 30th round I win $50 and if you can beat me than-"

She interrupted him before he could finish explaining.

"Yeah,That's great and all, but time is money and I'm ready to collect yours."

Tom raised his eyebrows in surprise and a little admiration.

"So that's the infamous attitude you're famous for, I was wondering when i would get to see it."

He started the game and thus began their long battle to 30 rounds. They played the game for about two and a half hours. Namie struggled the first 10 or so but by the 20th one she had figured out Tom's playing pattern and beat him on the 28th round. Within this timespan Shizuo had taken a nap, eaten, showered , and even washed his clothes.

Namie checked her phone. She had a couple calls and messages from her parents, one missed call from Celty, and a message from her brother that read 'Mom and dad are looking for you'.

She collected her prize money from Tom and stood up to leave. Shizuo also got up and followed her out his room door. Namie looked at him with confusion.

"What're you doing?"

Shizuo put on his coat before answering her. "I'm going to walk you home."

Namie began to realize that behind Shizuo's outburst, presumptuous behavior, and uncontrollable anger was a true gentleman. But it was morning when she arrived and now it was the beginning of the afternoon and her parents hadn't seen her since that morning. Everybody knew Shizuo's reputation for having disastrous tantrums, and her mother would probably call the police if she saw Namie walking with him.

"Look Shizuo, that's really nice of you, but I currently don't have time to encourage your moral system bullshit. So, I'll be taking my leave now."

And with that Namie was out the door and down the street before he could even respond. Her mom was sitting on the front steps of her house and she did not look happy.

"Namie, where have you been?"

"I was at Celty's house helping her with some work for a summer business group she joined." The lie wasn't a good one, but it was the only one Namie could think of in the moment. The facial expression on her mother's face did not change.

"And you didn't think to tell us, where you went."

Namie took a second to think before answering. "I didn't think it mattered, since you guys know Celty really well."

"Well, if that's what you think you've been getting to much freedom, you're grounded for the rest of the week."

Namie couldn't believe her ears, she barely got out the house when she wasn't grounded.

She mentally laughed at the fact that her mother thought she could keep her in the house for a week.

She followed her mother back inside of the house and ran up the stairs. When she got to her room door Seiji walked past her and mumbled two words that she almost missed.

"Welcome back."


	5. One and the same

That Monday morning Celty called her. Namie hadn't seen Celty since the carnival night, and to be honest for a small period she had forgotten about her. She answered the phone and immediately began her rant.

"Celty, where have you been lately, I haven't spoken to or seen you since Saturday? And you're making up for leaving me with Izaya at the carnival, you know that ri-."

In the middle of her calmly spoken tirade. Celty interrupted her.

"Look I know I've been MIA and I'm sorry for ditching you at the carnival, but can you just forgive me so we can move on from it."

"I'm not exactly the forgiving type." Namie said with an undertone of irritation. "but for you I'm willing to compromise."

Namie forgave her, but she wouldn't forget. As Celty continued to talk on the phone, Namie realized that Celty never explained where she went after the carnival night or what she did the following Sunday.

"So, where did you go after you left the carnival?"

There was a moment of silence before Celty's voice came back on the phone. "Well, I lost my virginity to Shinra."

Namie wasn't surprise and she didn't exactly know how to respond. She saw it coming from a mile away, and she didn't really care about the development in her friend's relationship. She accepted the absence that would take Celty's place a long time ago. Namie always thought of herself as a loner anyway.

Celty's voice broke Namie out of her thoughts.

"I hope the tension between you and Izaya wasn't too awkward." Celty said in an apologetic tone.

Namie shrugged her shoulders.

"It was bearable, I don't hate him like I use to. It's more of a feeling of indifference with a mixture of slight irritation."

What Namie said was true, but she was reluctant about giving Celty any details about the deal she had with Izaya.

"Well, I hope you're not trapped in the house for long, I'll see you around?"

Namie hung up the phone with slight concern in her facial features. Did Celty know she was grounded How? Namie hadn't shared that info with anyone thoughts were interrupted when Seiji knocked on her door.

"Are you eating breakfast with the rest of us?"

She shook her head no as a response. She would go downstairs for something to eat when her parents went to work. She wanted to make her presence in the house as non existent as possible, so that on the days she was gone,nobody would notice her absence.

She slept through most of the day, since Izaya wanted her to be awake and fully dress at 12 in the morning. Her mom even complained about Namie being in her room to much.

At 11:58 Namie was fully awake and staring at the clock on her dresser. She was mentally preparing herself with whatever crazy task Izaya wanted her to do. She silently wondered what Izaya could possibly be doing on a early Tuesday morning. When her clock turned to 12:00 she immediately opened her window to find a ladder placed against it and Izaya waiting for her at the bottom of it.

When She reached the ground she realized that Izaya already had a smirk placed on his face.

"Why the long face Namie? Are you not happy to see your knight in shining armor."

Namie rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Trust me, I'm jumping for joy on the inside."

They both walked to his car and drove away. Namie noticed that there were boxes in Izaya's back seat.

"So are you going to drop the mystery act and tell me what I am doing."

Izaya took a deep breath before explains anything to Namie.

"Behind me are a dozen boxes of brownies, baked into these brownies is a new hallucinogen drug codenamed 'cloud 9'. A certain group of my associates have asked me to introduce and distribute this drug to the streets of Ikebukoro."

"Well, if I knew I was going to be a Girl Scout today, I would've brought my badges." Namie sarcastically commented.

Ikebukoro was the major city that their little suburban community was settled on the outskirts of. Namie knew of the city's reputation for supernatural occurrences,gang wars, disappearances, and other crazy myths. And Namie believed it all. The fashion agency her mom worked at was placed in Ikebukoro and she confirmed some of the stories. You could never be bored in a city like that.

The drive to the city wasn't far at all, it only took a good 20 minutes. Izaya instructed her to sell the brownies and to not ask questions, he also gave her a cat mask to wear. She did as she was told. They set up Izaya's small business in one of the many alleys of the city, and when the shady looking people came lurking out of the shadows, she sold to them with no questions or comments.

Apparently it was a successful night, because there were no brownies left by 2:00. Namie was surprised that the brownies were only three dollars each, she expected them to cost more. She asked about it when they got back in Izaya's car.

"I expected the drug brownies to cost more."

"Well, it's just being introduced, the prices won't be raised until a good number of people get addicted to it."

The car was silent for a good 5 minutes before Namie spoke up again.

"Why did you ask me to help you?"

"Because Shinra has been occupied for the past couple of weeks."

Namie began to wonder if Izaya was as affected by Shinra and Celty's relationship as she was. She hadn't seen him be friends with anybody else longer than a month, before he indirectly caused something terrible to happen to them.

"What if I don't want to do this?"

Izaya swerved off of the road and stopped on the side of it. He turned towards her with an eerily calm smirk on his face.

"The choice is yours, who am I to force you to do anything, but I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to walk home from here. Also I'm sure your parents would love to know where you were on Sunday. I'm absolutely sure they would rather ship you off to a boarding school, than to have you hanging around a 'thug' like Shizuo."

She glared at him in silence. He went back to driving, assuming she had made her choice. She indignantly turned back towards her window.

"It's you they need to worry about and why do you always know about the things I do. I'm starting to think you're a bit obsessed with me."

"If I was obsessed with you, you wouldn't even realize it. I'm mostly intrigued by the sarcasm and anger you use to push people away. A trait like that usually makes someone disliked by many, but with you it's almost endearing."

Namie rolled her eyes at the comment.

"Unfortunately, sarcasm doesn't always work." She said while staring directly at Izaya.

"So how long am I stuck working with you."

"Until my associates say we're done. Which shouldn't be too long, every Tuesday and Thursday morning for the next month at best."

"I have to do this for a month!" Namie let out a small laugh in this disbelief. "I might as well be given a life sentence."

Izaya pulled up right next to Namie's house to drop her off. He looked at her with the same smirk from earlier still on his face.

"Well, from what I've seen your parents have already sentenced you to a week of no sunshine."

Namie got out of the car. Her thoughts immediately drifted off to what Celty said to her over the phone.

"Hey Izaya, have you been telling Celty the information you have on me."

A smile broke through the smirk he previously had. "Goodnight, Namie."

And with that he drove over to his own house.

Namie stayed standing in her driveway and watched Izaya enter his house. She really hoped that Celty wasn't confiding in Izaya about herself. Namie wondered What about herself did Celty need Izaya to find out? If she wanted to know anything she could've just asked.

It was annoying how much of her life Izaya had somehow slipped into. She must have let her guard down. The fact that he was currently the person that knew the most about her was unsettling, because to him information was power.

For the next month every day except for Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Namie could be found at Celty's or Shizuo's house. Celty was usually unavailable, so Namie found herself spending a lot of time with Shizuo. They had become unlikely friends.

Namie figured out that Shizuo was so generous and kind-hearted that it was almost irritating to her. He was the exact opposite of what everyone thought he was. But she was always ready to run fast and far if he was somehow angered in any way.

On Tuesday and Thursday mornings she sold brownies on the streets of Ikebukoro and she had seen a lot. From the spot she and Izaya sold from, she had witnessed robberies, kidnappings, and even a gang war. It worried her how desensitized she had become to every situation. She silently hoped that Izaya's cold heart wasn't influencing her own.

Namie also noticed that a lot of the customers, recognized Izaya and he wasn't well liked in the underground society of Ikebukoro. She completely understood why, no matter how polite his voice is or genuine his smile looks, he was shadier than half the people she sold to.

He wasn't with her most of the time. He usually gave Namie a taser and wandered off to who knows where. So she assumed that he had business elsewhere in Ikebukoro.

On their last day of selling, by the end of the night, there was only one brownie left and two guys who looked ready to kill to obtain it. If Izaya wasn't with her she would've split the brownie in half and sold one half to each of them full price. She doubt they would even notice what she did. But no, instead Izaya held the brownie in front of both of them as a prize.

"Alright boys, if you want this brownie, you have to be willing to fight for it." He said with a smile.

The two men turned towards each other as they caught onto the implication. One immediately pulled out a knife, while the other had brass knuckles with spikes. The fight was over in what seemed like a second. The man with the knife easily stabbed the other man and it was over with. Unfortunately for him, he also got punched in the face with those knuckles and had blood coming out the small holes made into his cheek.

Izaya gave the brownie to the man for free. He stared at the other guy with a look of glee.

"The things an addictive drug can drive a human to do never ceases to surprise me. It's almost a pity that the two men could've easily found a way to share the brownie, but instead resorted to violence."

Namie looked at the man on the ground. His breaths were shallow and weak, but he was breathing nonetheless.

"Should we call an ambulance and leave?"

Izaya shook his head and began to walk in the opposite direction.

"I'm sure there is a group in this city that has a use for individuals like our friend over there. They will most likely find him."

Namie began to wonder what she had gotten herself into with Izaya. Each layer of him she uncovered, gave her better look at the real monster hidden underneath. What nearly scared her was the fact she didn't care. The drug brownies had made her a lot of money, and if she had a choice she would do it all over again.

She was fine with the way he acted and the fact that he associated with most of the underground society,as long as she made a profit.

As they walked through different alleys to make their way back to his car. She noticed that he was walking slower than usual. At some point he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the opposite direction of his car. As soon as they turned a corner, Izaya started running and was basically dragging Namie. She didn't understand what was happening, but she tried her best to keep up with the very athletic boy.

Izaya climbed up the ladder of a building with Namie following closely behind. By the time Namie reached the roof, Izaya was looking over the side of it. Namie went over and saw a man looking around in one of the alleys.

"He was following us." Izaya said with a straight face.

"Why?"

"I can name a lot of reasons of why someone might want to follow me."

The statement reminded Namie of Izaya's popularity within the city that she always meant to question him about.

"Do you know a lot of the people we sold to or do low-lives just recognize their own kind when they see one?"

Izaya watched as the man wandered back off into the streets before he acknowledged Namie.

"Let's just say I've crossed paths with most of them."

Namie looked out into the city, the roof gave them a good view of it at night.

"Isn't it beautiful." Izaya said from behind her.

Namie shook her head in disagreement.

"Just looks like another city to me."

"Yes, but the stories that have been lived out in the city is what gives it beauty. The stories that were made by the decisions and actions of the humans within it."

Namie rolled her eyes. This wasn't the first time he started preaching about human nature and how great it was.

"Be careful Izaya, your insanity is starting to show."

Izaya turned towards Namie with a smile on his face.

"This is our last day of selling Namie, it has truly been a delight working with you. I would really like to partner up with you again someday soon."

Namie glared at Izaya and gave him a fake smile.

"We both know that you will find a way to get anything you want. I use to worry about the schemes you had planned, but now I don't care. As long as your shifty ideas earns me money and doesn't influence my life, I'm willing to help out with anything."

Izaya turned to face Namie and filled the space in between them without actually touching her.

"I'm surprised the cruelty of the underground didn't scare you away. I noticed that you felt no remorse for the poor souls that were addicted to this drug. You know what it's doing to them so why keep selling it?"

Namie backed away from Izaya and responded to him in a deadpan tone.

"All of those 'poor souls' choose to do drugs. I did not force the brownie down their throat, I just gave them what they wanted."

Izaya was circling Namie now and she felt like she was being hunted by a shark. Eventually, he stopped to stand right in front of her.

"It sounds like you and me think in similar ways. You often call me a cruel sociopath, so what does that make you."

Namie turned and walked away. She waited for Izaya at his car and he didn't speak a word on the ride back to her house.


	6. Break that body for me

_**A/N: All of the main teenage characters are currently 15 going on 16. The only real reason they can drive at an earlier age then usually is for plot reasons.**_

Summer vacation was almost over and Namie was having a quiet day of reading, that was until the sound of yelling and destruction interrupted her. She ignored it at first, but when a rock collided with her window she decided to investigate. She walked outside to see Shizuo chasing Izaya with a light pole. To her surprise Celty was standing on the walked up and greeted her.

"Oh hey Namie, I was just coming to see you. How have you been?"

"Well I was just fine until my window was nearly broken through with a rock."Namie turned her attention back to the Izaya and Shizuo. "So, what happened?"

A short,quiet laugh escaped Celty before she responded.

"Just the usual, Shizuo spotted Izaya and it was immediately followed with Izaya getting hit with a couple of giant rocks."

Namie noticed that Izaya actually had some cuts and bruises this time. 'He must've been caught off guard' she thought to herself.

After Shizuo threw a light pole at Izaya and missed, he attempted to pick up a medium sized tree. Suddenly Shizuo's arms turned weak,he dropped the tree and went unconscious while Izaya got away.

Namie stared at Shizuo with slight surprise. She figured that the tree must've been to heavy for him, but she had never seen Shizuo not have enough strength to pick something up. Celty broke the silence.

"Shouldn't we help him."

Namie shrugged her shoulders. "I guess so."

Both put one of Shizuo's arms on their shoulder and walked him into Namie's house.

"Where should we put him." Celty asked with strain in her voice from carrying the large boy.

"The couch should be fine."

They got him to the couch and hovered over him for a bit. Neither of them were sure about what to do next. After a minute, Namie made took an ice pack and placed it on Shizuo's head. Celty looked at her in confusion.

"Shouldn't we call an ambulance."

Namie looked at Shizuo with slight amusement.

"He would prefer not calling an ambulance, he hates the hospital."

Celty looked at Namie with uncertainty. "How do you know that?"

"Let's just say I've learned a couple of things from spending so much time with him." Namie grabbed the book she was previously reading and sat next to Shizuo.

"What made you come to my house today,

you're usually with Shinra."

"I was with him earlier, but I hadn't seen you in a while. I didn't even know that you and Shizuo were. good friends."

Namie grabbed a snack out of the refrigerator and returned to the couch before responding to Celty.

"He's not my friend, I just go to his house when I don't want to be in mine."

Celty let out a short laugh. "That sounds like a typical thing you would say. Well I have to get going before I'm late to work."

Namie got up and followed Celty to the front door.

"Where are you working?"

"I just wash cars at an auto repair shop in Ikebukoro. You should come by and visit, my boss wouldn't care and I have nothing to do most of the time."

Namie rolled her eyes at the thought of going back to Ikebukoro. In her opinion, the whole city was overrated. Behind the nice restaurants, entertainment, and tourist attractions laid a capital for the underground society. If people saw half of what Namie witnessed in Ikebukoro, they wouldn't spend their time roaming it's tainted streets at night.

"I'm not exactly a fan of the city, but I will make some effort to visit you."

Celty drove away on her motorcycle and Namie returned to the book she had been trying to finish all day. About 30 minutes later Shizuo began to stir awake. Namie went over to help him up into a sitting position.

"Time to wake up sleeping beauty, I want my couch back."

Shizuo took a moment to adjust to his surroundings and realize that he was with Namie.

"The damn flee got away again." He muttered to himself. But Namie heard him clearly.

"Is that really the first thing that comes to mind after being unconscious."

He didn't respond to her comment, instead he slowly moved his arms repeatedly.

"I may have pushed my body to the limit this time, I guess I 'have' to go to the hospital now."

Namie looked at his arms, they were swollen and tiring an angry reddish color.

She shrugged. "It was bound to happen eventually."

Namie then looked at Shizuo, who was silently staring at the floor. She always wondered why he fell into a state of deep contemplation after his encounters with Izaya.

He muttered a quiet thanks to Namie and got up to leave. She stared at him with slight confusion as he slowly walked in the direction of his house.

Namie took her book to her room with the intent to finish it, but there was a knock on the door before she made it halfway up the stairs. She ignored it for the first minute or two,but when the knocking was harder the next time, she begrudgingly ran back down the stair to answer it.

Izaya stood before her and he looked as bad as Shizuo did on the last day of 9th grade. He immediately shoved his car keys into Namie's hand.

"Can you to drive me to Shinra's"

Confusion and surprise immediately flashed across Namie's face.

"I only know the basics behind driving do you really trust me to get you there safely."

Namie was about to start asking more questions, but Izaya fell onto her. She struggled to get him into his car. When she saw that he was barely conscious she lightly hit his face a couple of times.

"Try not to pass out on me, I still need you to tell me how to get to Shinra's."

"After you exit our neighborhood turn right, make a left at the first stoplight you see, somewhere along that road you should see a neighborhood, Shinra's house number is 283.

Izaya gave the directions in slurs and almost inaudibly, but Namie was able to pick up enough parts to figure it out for herself. She drove slowly and accidentally missed a few turns, but eventually she arrived at what she assumed was Shinra's house, and basically carried Izaya to the doorstep.

A man with a lab coat and a mask greeted her.

"You must be another one of Shinra's friends, Well a friend of Shinra's is always welcomed here. My name is Shingen."

Namie looked at the man with annoyance.

"Introductions are great and all, but I'm sure that can wait until later."

She pushed her way past the man and unceremoniously dropped Izaya onto their couch. An action Shingen was against.

"Well,don't put him on the couch, his blood will get it dirty, I have an operation room in my basement."

She didn't think to question why their basement was an operating room and with a sigh Namie put Izaya arm back around her and helped him to the basement. A few seconds later Shinra showed up.

"What happened? Did someone finally manage to kill him?" He nonchalantly asked while collecting his tools.

"I wish that were the case,then he would be dead,and I wouldn't have to take care of him."

Shinra laughed at the her comment and continued to silently tend to Izaya's wounds. Namie started to read the book she had been trying to finish all day. Shinra didn't speak a word until a good hour passed by.

"I'm surprised you're still here, my dad is willing to give you a ride home."

Namie didn't exactly know why she was still there,but she didn't have anywhere else to be. So instead she shook her head in disagreement.

"My parents are almost never home, not like they pay that much attention to me, my brother is fine by himself, and I have nothing better to do."

Shinra started to put away all his materials.

"Izaya probably won't be awake until tomorrow."

Namie shrugged her shoulders.

"That's fine, I'm not staying here for his sake anyway."

Shinra nodded his head.

"Well I'll bring you a blanket then."

Namie was comfortably wrapped up in a blanket on the chair she fell asleep on. She was awoken by coughing and a moan. Izaya's voice then ranged out in the dimly lit room.

"Shinra is that you?"

Namie got up and stood next to the bed Izaya had been laid on.

"Guess again."

Izaya let out a small laugh before acknowledging Namie.

"Oh Namie, you didn't have to stay to keep me company, but I'm truly touched by how much you care."

Namie took two fingers and pressed down on a freshly wrapped wound on his abdomen. He immediately moaned with pain. Seeing Izaya in such a weak state caused a small smile to appear on her face.

"Why did it take you so long to stumble onto my doorstep anyway?"

Izaya gave Namie a look filled with irritation because of the pain she caused him, but was quick to turn it into a smirk.

"Well If I didn't wait for your 'boyfriend' to leave that would've caused me more harm than good now wouldn't it."

Namie scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"The guy is barely my friend and is that jealousy I hear in your voice?"

Izaya turned on his side managed to get his arm around Namie's waist and pull her closer to the operation bed.

"So what if I actually am jealous, what would you do then?"

Namie unwrapped Izaya's arm from around her and backed away a little bit.

"I'd pity you."

She returned to the chair she slept on and folded the blanket she had. Izaya looked at her with curiosity.

"Leaving me already?"

Namie rolled her eyes and gathered her things.

"It's getting late, and I need to go home."

"Says who?"

"Unlike you, I'm not just going to be bleeding out on a table tomorrow. I have plans,and they don't include being here with you."

Izaya let out a laugh.

"You're always quick to make an insensitive comment."

Namie flashed Izaya a fake smile.

"I save the best ones for you." She said with sarcasm.

She went upstairs and got a ride home from Shingen, but the guy wouldn't shut up the whole ride. She wanted to shoot herself by the time she got out the car.

Her brother was waiting for her at the kitchen table.

"I don't think mom and dad would like you going out without you notifying them."

Namie didn't really care for Seiji's comment.

"Mom and dad are not here,besides, they can't tell the difference between when I am in the house and when I'm not in the house."

Seiji's facial expression turned to one of concern.

"I'm worried about you. I noticed that you have been sneaking out the house and hanging around people like Izaya Orihara. I've heard a lot of things about him and he tends to cause trouble for the people around him."

Namie scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Well let me put your mind at ease. The only 'friend' I have is Celty, I know what Orihara is capable of, and I'm not scared of him. Now go to bed."

And with that Namie ran to her room, she didn't want to think about all of the time she spent with Izaya so far. Her brother was right, the bastard was slowly inserting himself into her life, and that had to stop.

The next morning her parents came back from their 'business trip'. Namie figured out that her parents didn't really go on business trips, they just stayed at an hotel out of town. She never figured out the exact reason why, and kept a mental note to look into it.

Her family had a nice silent breakfast with each other and left Namie with the dishes. Around the time she finished cleaning the kitchen the doorbell ring.

Unfortunately, it was just Tom.

Namie's facial expression turned to one of Irritation.

"Why are you here?"

Tom chuckled nervously before answering.

"Shizuo is in the hospital, I thought you might want to visit him, so I was going to offer you a ride."

Namie was initially planning to say no, but she wanted to visit Celty and it gave her a good reason to get out the house.

"Sure, I'll be out in a minute."

She wrote a note telling her brother where she was going and left it on the kitchen table. She grabbed her favorite black jacket and left.

Tom didn't say anything for the majority of the ride there, which she actually appreciated. When they arrived Namie realized she didn't have anything to give him.

"Thanks for the ride, but I'm going to look around the city for a present."

She left Tom and began to look for the car repair shop Celty was working at. It wasn't hard to find at all, it was only 3 or 4 blocks away from the hospital.

The place wasn't as small as Namie expected it to be. She walked up to the lady to be directed to Celty's wash station. Namie found it without any trouble.

Celty's station was a small square room with a garage door on one wall, cleaning supplies on another, and a big space in the middle. Celty was mopping up leftover soap, before she saw Namie. A small smile immediately appeared on Namie's face when she saw her friend.

"You look like you're having fun here." She said with a hint of sarcasm

Celty rolled her eyes and continued to mop.

"I didn't think you would come visit so soon."

Namie took a seat in a nearby chair.

"Well, someone offered me a ride, so here I am."

Before they could continue the garage opened and a limo pulled inside of it. A man with red hair and a cane stepped out of the car, but his most noticeable feature was the scar going down his right eye.

Namie was cautious of the man. His body language seemed laid back and calm, but his overall appearance made him seem shady. Celty approached the man with a smile.

"Welcome sir, how may I help you today."

A smile broke onto the man's face.

"I would just like the windows to be cleaned, they've gotten foggy and I prefer everything to be neat and in order."

Celty nodded her head, she grabbed a bucket of warm water and a sponge and began on the front window. Namie moved out of her chair, so that the older man could sit down.

"Thank you, not a lot of kids are as respectful as you are, young lady."

Namie nodded her head and gave the man a smile. Although, The real reason she got out of the chair was because she didn't necessarily trust the man, and felt that it was time to take her leave.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

Namie gave the man a fake smile and a curt response.

"I doubt it."

The man reminded her of the kind of people she sold those drugs to and she didn't want to stick around and be forced to have some kind of conversation with him, while Celty was busy working.

"Celty, it's about time I take my leave, is there a restaurant or fast food place nearby?"

"There is a seafood place down the street called "Russia Sushi", one of the owners stands outside. He may seem intimidating, but trust me he's very generous and a good chef."

Namie thanked Celty and left the car repair shop. She figured Shizuo would prefer her to bring him food, instead of flowers.

As she approached the seafood restaurant, she saw the intimidating Russian man standing outside of the place. She watched him scare off most of the customers. It was almost a shame, even though people were scared of him, he kept trying his best to encourage them to try his sushi. She tried to avoid the man and just walk into the restaurant, but that didn't work out.

"You hungry? We have good fish today,you no get sick."

Namie peered at the chef and rolled her eyes.

"I'll take your word for it, I guess."

She walked in and got the special of the day, she walked back out and began to make her way back to the hospital. In order for her to get back to the hospital, she had to walk past the car repair shop. Of course, just as she walked pass Celty's job, the shady man from earlier was just leaving.

She tried to ignore him, but he rolled down his car window and called out to Namie.

"Hey, I think I know why I recognize you."

Namie kept walking as he drove his car beside her.

"I'm sure you've got the wrong person."

"You work with that Orihara kid,right?"

Namie stopped and looked at the man with a look of surprise. Is it possible that he was the associate, that Izaya had her distributing drugs for. She didn't think they knew about her, she wore a mask during those nights, so how was it that this man recognized her face.

The man continued with what he was saying.

"I'm not a fan of drugs and I usually discourage children from getting involved with it, but here is a little extra for helping out."

The man handed her an envelope, that she assumed was filled with money.

"By the way, I'm Mr. Akabayashi, If you're ever looking for work, contact me. Kids are the best kind of helpers. My number is on the envelope."

Namie gave the man a blank look as if she didn't know what he was talking about. apparently caught on to this.

"You're Namie Yagiri, the young girl that helped with the 'cloud 9' project. For the Awakusu-Kai group."

A look of confusion flashed across Namie's face she knew the group Izaya was working with was no good, but she had no idea it was for a branch within the Yakuza group. She also realized that was a man with great intuition, it was almost as if he could read her mind.

"You didn't know who you were working for? That can be a fatal mistake. Next time know what you're getting into."

And with that he drove off and left Namie with mixed feelings. She didn't know if she should be happy about the new opportunities she would have to make money. Or if she should be pissed at Izaya, for getting her involved with an infamous criminal corporation.

Namie began to think back to what her brother said the other day. She didn't like that one of Izaya's associates was trying to recruit her. The real question was would she join them or cut all ties?

She shrugged off the encounter and continued down her path to the hospital. Shizuo had been resting so she left the food on his counter with a note on it that said:

'Better than hospital food,right?'-Namie


	7. Day one

_**A/n: I appreciate all the follows, favorites,and reviews. They mean a lot to me. It took a minute, but here is chapter seven. Enjoy ;)**_

To Namie's dismay, it was the first day of school again. There was no high school near her neighborhood so she, along with everyone in her class, had to go to go to Raijin academy. She didn't mind going to a school that she couldn't walk to, but it was in Ikebukoro, and she had been trying to avoid the frenetic city recently.

The hallways were filled with her peers greeting each other and being obnoxiously loud. She saw many familiar faces, but mostly unfamiliar faces. She wasn't exactly jumping for joy when she entered her classroom ,but she was glad Izaya wasn't in it. She recognized a handful of people from her previous school, everyone else was strangers.

Namie claimed the seat in the back corner next to the window, just like last year. As the teacher called role she was slightly happy to hear that Shizuo was in her class, but his absence was due to him being in the hospital. She toned out her surroundings until lunch.

Celty gave Namie a suffocating hug.

"I'm so glad you're here, the only person in my class that I recognize is Izaya, and he surrounded by people asking him for favors."

Namie rolled her eyes and pulled out of Celty's hold.

"Well, we both know his charming persona has a way of attracting naive, young dumbasses."

Celty shook her head in disagreement.

"Some kids say he went to the same junior high as them and that he was expelled."

Namie wasn't exactly surprised, It explained why the guy had so many connections in Ikebukoro, he probably lived here not to long ago.

"Wait, why was he expelled."

Celty shrugged her shoulders.

"Nobody really knows, I've heard many different rumors, best to just ask him yourself."

At that moment they both spotted Shinra sitting at a table. Celty turned and gave Namie a look of sympathy.

"I'm going to go sit with him, do you want to come or-"

Namie shook her head before Celty could finish.

"I hate being the third-wheel, I'll be fine, I'm not that hungry anyway."

Namie placed headphones in her ears and left the cafeteria to look for the school library. She got lost after a while, and didn't even notice Izaya as she turned a corner and ran right into him.

She stared at him for a second before trying to go around him, but he placed his hand against the wall to block her. Namie was prepared to slap him, ever since the stair incident she hated feeling trap in any kind of way. Before she could, Izaya interrupted her thoughts.

"How would you feel about joining a biology club?"

Namie's facial expression turned skeptical.

"Since when did you take an interest in biology."

Izaya moved out of Namie's way and began to walk with her instead.

"I'm not particularly interested in the club, but I see an opportunity in establishing it."

"So, why are you telling me about it?"

"Baseball season has started again and I'm entertaining the idea of using the biology club for gambling."

Namie took a second to consider Izaya's idea and came to the conclusion that it wasn't a good one.

"You need at least 3 people to start a club,besides there aren't any club rooms open."

A soft chuckle escaped Izaya's mouth, almost as if he was sharing an inside joke with himself.

"Don't worry about that, all you need to do is make sure you sign up for it and come to our first meeting. It's tomorrow after school, in the Literary club room."

Namie rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders.

"Fine, this gambling ring better be worth it."

With a smile on his face,Izaya walked back in the direction he was walking originally. It wasn't until a few moments later that Namie realized she was a bit lost. She no longer knew what part of the school she was in. Luckily, a teacher's classroom happened to be nearby.

She walked in to see a middle aged man sitting at his desk. He seemed to be busy with grading papers. She was about to walk out and seek help from elsewhere, until he stopped her.

"Was there something you needed?"

"I was hoping you would give me some directions to the school library?"

The teacher got up from his desk and stopped in front of Namie he leaned on the door frame and folded his arms together. She wasn't prepared for the man to enter her personal space, so she took a step back to put some space between them.

"You must be a first-year. That explains a lot, I would definitely remember a beautiful face like yours."

Namie didn't really care for the compliment. Besides, the man was borderline creepy, but she was able to keep her composure.

"Thank you, if you'd just point me in the right direction, I'll be on my way."

"How about this, I will do you one better and take you there myself."

Namie began to slightly worry. This particular teacher was already sending her bad vibes and she wasn't interested in becoming any friendlier with the presumptuous man.

"You really don't have to Sir."

"I'm , but you can call me Takashi, nice to meet you and what is your name young lady."

A look of disdain flashed across Namie's face before she rolled her eyes.

"I'd rather keep it to myself. Thank you for your help, even though you really didn't help me at all, but I think I'll manage to find it on my own."

It was as if he didn't hear a word she said because as soon as she walked away he walked past her and took the lead.

"The library is this way, just follow me."

Along the way made desperate attempts to make conversation with Namie by asking her many questions about herself, much to her annoyance. Her responses were curt and she made no effort to show interest in what the older man was saying.

Namie noticed that the teacher was walking unusually slower, she figured it was probably so he could get more time with her. By the time they made it to the library, the lunch bell ringed.

"Well, I hope when can spend some time together again soon."

A obviously fake smile formed on Namie's face.

"I definitely hope not."

A deep laugh escaped the teacher and it unsettled Namie.

"You're a rude one aren't you? A personality like yours usually steer me away, but you make it attractive somehow."

Namie rolled her eyes as the familiar words were spoken.

"Believe it or not you're not the first person to say that to me."

"I think I'll make it a point to see you again sometime."

He turned to walk back in the direction they came, but before he walked away, he placed a hand on Namie's shoulder and leaned into her ear.

"I don't suppose you want to give me a goodbye kiss,do you."

Namie immediately pulled away from his touch and walked back to her class. She made a mental note to avoid , she had other things to focus on and she refused to let a perverted teacher be one of them.

She successfully made it through the rest of the school day, after class was over, Namie began to make her way over to the Literary club room, but Celty caught up with Namie.

"Where are you going the exit isn't that way."

"Actually, I joined a club."

Celty immediately knew what club Namie was referring to.

"Don't tell me you joined that biology club Shinra started."

Namie was surprised to hear that it was Shinra's idea to start the club, she silently wondered if he knew Izaya's intentions.

"Yeah, that's the one."

Celty shook her head and let out a sigh.

"I guess I indirectly caused that."

Namie turned towards Celty with curiosity.

"What do you mean?"

"Shinra was complaining about how my job takes away from the time we get to spend together. So I told him he should hang out with his friends more or join an after school activity. I'm guessing that this club was his resolve."

Namie nodded her head in understanding.

"That sounds like something he would do for you. I know you love him, but I've always thought Shinra was disturbingly infatuated with you."

"Well, I'm going to work. come by the repair shop before my shift is over, if you want a ride home."

Namie continued to make her way to the Literary club room, she had some trouble finding it at first, but getting lost and wandering around the school actually helped her find her way around.

She stood in front of the door of the club room and caught what Shinra was talking to Izaya about.

"Honestly, I don't care about this club. Do whatever you want with it, Izaya. I'll come and check in on it every once in awhile, though."

Izaya's face was deadpan and Namie couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"So basically, you won't be doing anything. That's fine I guess, but why are you starting a club you don't want to be in." he questioned

Shinra laughed and scratched his head.

"Well, I did this for Celty. She wanted me to join an after school activity."

Izaya nodded his head and sighed.

"Of course you did."

The two boys didn't take notice of Namie's presence, until she pushed the door open.

A smile appeared on Izaya's previously blank face as she walked in.

"Oh Namie, how nice of you to join us."

Shinra began to pack his belongings.

"Well, I trust that you and Izaya can take care of the club without my help, so I'll be on my way."

As soon as Shinra left Namie closed the door behind him.

"I've been meaning to ask you why a member of the Awakutsu-Kai group knows who I am."

The tone in Namie's voice was quiet yet dangerous, but it brushed right off of Izaya.

"I thought you would be smart enough to figure out why I had to tell them who you are, it's not like they were going to let an outside external force work with them without doing a background check on you."

Namie began to calm down, for once Izaya was making sense.

"You're right, that was a bit foolish on my part."

Before they could continue a loud knock was heard on the door.

"Who's that, betting starts in 3 minutes."

"That is our fourth member, Mikage Sharaku." Izaya said as he opened the door.

Both Namie and Mikage seemed surprise to see each other, but neither committed on the revelation.

Izaya handed Namie a box, a pencil, and a piece of paper, before he began to announce everyone's role.

"Namie, you will be writing down who bets on which team and how much they bet. Mikage, you will be the muscle, if anyone cause any problems, show them the way out. I, on the other hand, will supervise this whole project and hold on to the money. Sound fair?"

Namie was the first to break the short silence and ask a question.

"We get a cut of the betting money, right?"

"Of course, there would be no point to this if we didn't."

Mikage crossed the room to stand right by Izaya's side.

"Seems easy enough,let's get started."

Izaya then opened the door to reveal a group of students with money in hand.

The students lined up at the desk Namie sat at to record the bets, they then dropped their money in the box and left. The whole process didn't take long and was over in about 20 minutes.

Izaya stood behind Namie's chair as she added up all the money.

"How much do we have in the pot?"

"$400."

Namie handed the box to Izaya and began to pack up her things.

"Talk about easy money, we did good. Maybe me and you should celebrate at Russia Sushi." Mikage suggested to Izaya.

He didn't seem like he was paying any attention to Mikage and didn't look up to respond to her.

"No, I'm not that hungry. Maybe another time."

"That's a half-ass excuse, I know you can do better than that."

A slight smile appeared on Izaya's face as he looked up and approached the red-headed girl.

"I would love to go out and eat with you, but I already promised Namie that I would take her home."

Namie didn't tune into the conversation until she caught the small lie that Izaya told. Mikage began to glare at Namie. She didn't care what the girl thought of her, but she also didn't appreciate being used as an excuse to get Izaya out of a predicament.

Namie put on a fake smile and stared right at Izaya.

"Oh don't worry about me, Celty can give me a ride home."

Izaya also had a phony grin resting on his face, she could tell that he was irritated that she didn't play along.

"But earlier you told me Celty had to go home early, remember that."

Namie shook her head in disagreement.

"No, that doesn't sound like something I said."

The back and forth banter between Izaya and Namie would've continued if Mikage hadn't interrupted.

"Hey it's not that serious, besides I actually have to get going, so I'll see you two tomorrow."

And with that the Mikage grabbed her things and left. But as soon as she closed the door, the silent argument between the two became a vocal one.

"Namie, Would it have hurt you to just play along?

Izaya's facial expression was blank and emotionless, but he was irritated on the inside.

"No, but I knew it would get on your nerves if I didn't."

"Is it your personal mission to make my life harder, if so, I'm flattered, but I don't need the extra work."

"I should be asking you the same thing. I had a lot less shit to deal with before I began to work with you."

Namie expected Izaya to say something back, but instead he began to laugh.

"I guess we just have that effect on each other."

She didn't really know how to respond to him, he unexpectedly changed the mood of the atmosphere and honestly, she wanted to argue a bit more, until a question began to bother her.

"Why didn't you want to go with that girl."

As soon as Namie mentioned Mikage, his face changed to one of boredom and the amusement in his voice was snuffed out.

"Oh yeah, well I only hang around her enough to convince her into thinking I'm interested."

Namie sighed and shook her head.

"That's how you act like you're interested, from what I saw you didn't do a very good job."

"I'm just a bit tired that's all. Maybe I would feel better if you'd lay with me every once in awhile."

Namie rolled her eyes at the implication made in his comment.

"Why don't you try to get Mikage in your bed, she seems more than willing."

" I met her towards the end of summer. It was interesting to observe her at first, but now she's taken a liking to me and has tried attempts to get to know me and that's just no fun. She's an exceptional martial artist and a skill like that can be useful to me in the future."

'Typical Izaya' Namie thought to herself. She decided to take her leave and walked out the classroom.

"Wait, where are you going?"questioned Izaya who was trailing behind her.

"Home, where else would I go."

"I can give you a ride."

A smirk appeared on Namie's face.

"I would, but I already promised to let someone else take me home. Maybe another time."

Izaya didn't respond to her and kept a blank expression. She was annoyed when he did this, because she couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"Are you serious?" He finally asked after a while

Namie just shrugged with a smile on her face and began to walk towards the exit again. Izaya didn't follow her out this time. She assumed he didn't appreciate getting rejected.

Namie brushed it off walked to the hospital. She checked in with the receptionist and made her way up to Shizuo's room. When he walked in he was wide awake and playing on his phone. He face immediately lit up when he saw Namie.

"About time I see another familiar face."

Namie rolled her eyes, but kept a smile on her face.

"Don't get use to it, I just happen to be in the area."

Namie took a seat next to Shizuo's bed, while Shizuo looked as if he was expecting something.

"No food this time."

"I told you not to get use to my generosity, it's a trait I often try to hide. So when will you come to school?"

"Miss me already." Shizuo said with a toothy grin.

"Not particularly, but you're the only person in my class that I associate with."

"The good doc told me tomorrow at best."

For a minute or two they fell into a comfortable silence.

"You really didn't have to come visit me."

"Think of it as me repaying my debt or do you owe me now."

"To be honest, I don't remember."

The both shared a soft laugh. After a few seconds Shizuo's face became serious.

"How come you never told me that flea lived in our neighborhood."

"Because I live across the street from him and I don't want various street signs to be thrown at my window everyday."

"The bastard deserves it, most of the bad things that happen to people is caused by him."

"You're right about that, but you have to promise me that you won't attack him anywhere near my house."

Shizuo looked away, but kept a scowl on his face.

"I'll attempt to restrain myself, but I make no promises."

That caused Namie to let out a small laugh.

"Well I have to get going, if I want Celty to take me home. I'll see you whenever."

And with that Namie left the hospital, only to see a familiar car waiting for her outside of it. Izaya rolled down the window to show a toothy grin.

"Well, speak of the devil."


	8. Routine

**_**A/N: Chapter 8 finally! I've gone back and changed some of Mikage dialogue in the last chapter to make her seem less clingy and I hope you guys continue to enjoy what I put up.**_**

Namie walked towards the car and began to talk to Izaya through the window.

"Can't let a girl say no, can you."

A small grin appeared on Izaya's face.

"Not without good reason. If you told me you wanted to visit a friend in the hospital, I would've been willing to wait for you out here."

"Did it even occur to you that maybe I don't want to occupy the same space that you do, no longer than I have to?" Namie sarcastically replied.

Izaya simply shrugged and began to roll up the window and Namie sighed and grudgingly made her way to the passenger seat. She buckled in her seatbelt and when she looked up Izaya was giving her a knowing smile. She rolled her eyes and looked away.

"Happy now?" Namie asked with a tone filled with boredom.

"Ecstatic."

After a good portion of the car ride went by Namie began to wonder why Izaya wasn't trying to irritate her in some way like he usually does. So she broke the silence instead.

"I didn't know you were capable of staying silent for so long. Something on your mind?"

It was a moment before Izaya registered what she said and he responded with indifference in his voice.

"I'm just thinking about how different situations would play out with different people."

"The schemer is ready to strike again." Namie mocked

He glanced at her and turned back to the road.

"If you must know, the last week has been a bit to bland for my taste."

"Maybe you're not looking hard enough. There is always something happening in Ikebukoro."

Another moment of silence passed before Namie spoke up again.

"Did you use to live in Ikebukoro at some point in your life?"

Izaya's face was blank and showed no recognition in her words.

"Why do you ask?"

"A couple of kids say you got expelled from their junior high, I was wondering why?"

Izaya didn't answer the question and pulled into Namie's driveway instead.

"Goodnight, Namie."

"So you're not going to answer."

"I guess not."

Irritation began to seep through Namie's voice.

"So you have me work with you in all your little schemes, but you don't want to talk about how you got kicked out of school."

Izaya placed his hand on Namie's cheek and began to caress it, but he stayed silent with a slight smile placed on his face. Namie grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away from her face and he softly pulled away with a sigh.

"Honestly, the reason I was expelled is a personal secret of mine. What would I gain from telling you about it?"

Namie rolled her eyes and opened the car door.

"It's fine, I'm sure back then you were the same devious, manipulative, asshole that you are now."

And with that She got out the car and went inside her house. Soon afterwards she got a text from the agitating teen.

 _'Maybe you can earn my secrets instead of just being told them.'_

 _Namie could sense the his grin seep through the phone. She ignored it and temporarily blocked him. At times like this it was best to just ignore the bastard, he was always looking for a way to get under her skin and exploit her weaknesses. So she always has to act as if she has none._

Shizuo didn't come back to school until Thursday, but nobody knew the trouble his arrival would bring. Namie stayed with him most of the day and showed him around. She noticed that students steered clear of the brunette boy, and realized just how far his reputation reached. By the end of the day Namie was exhausted from having so many eyes on her through the day.

"So what do you think of the new school."

Shizuo rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"Is that a rhetorical question? Nothing has changed, there are a lot of new faces, but overall I'm still stuck with the same assholes and two friends I've seen all my life."

A small laugh escaped Namie, it wasn't as if she could disagree. Shizuo's words summed up her feelings. She looked at the clock and saw that school would let out soon.

"You feel like going to Celty's job after school?"

"I'll pass, Shinra is probably there and I always feel like a third wheel when I'm around them."

"Everyone is a third wheel around Celty and Shinra, they're inseparable."

Shizuo shook his head and packed his things.

"Yeah, have fun with that."

Right then this bell ring and students began to pour out of their classrooms. Namie didn't move from her seat and began waiting for Shizuo to finish gathering his things. After a few minutes he looked up at her.

"Why are you still here?"

"It would be common courtesy for you to at least walk me to Celty's workplace."

Shizuo swung his book bag over his shoulder a mumbled a quiet "fine" to Namie.

The hallways were clear by the time Namie and Shizuo left their classroom. They began to make their way to the school exit, but as soon as they turned a corner they ran into Izaya and Mikage. Namie immediately turned and ran in the opposite direction, Mikage was oblivious to the history the two boys shared and didn't think to run when they were within each other's eyesight.

Namie looked back just in time to see Shizuo hurl a desk in Izaya's direction. Both Mikage and Izaya were quick enough to dodge out the way. The desk instead went out a school window and landed near the unsuspecting citizens below.

Mikage then ran past Shizuo and made her way towards Namie, while Shizuo chased Izaya in the opposite direction.

"Is there something I missed."

"Those two have been trying to kill each other since they first met, it's petty if you ask me." Namie shook her head in disapproval.

"You're telling me that this happens every time they see each other."

"No, it's usually a lot worse."

With a sigh Namie began to walk towards the biology club.

"Where are you going?"

"To the club room, there are going to be kids arriving there to collect their money."

"I guess you're right about that."

Mikage agreed with Namie, but made no movement to begin walking towards the club room. An expression of concentration was plastered on her face, as if she was trying to make a decision. When Namie saw this she sighed, mentally criticized herself, and reluctantly made her way back to Mikage.

"Is there somewhere else you need to be?"

"I promised my father, that I would help some of the newcomers with basic training. I thought you and Izaya would be able to handle things on your own."

"Go home if you want, I'll be fine on my own."

Mikage made a face of uncertainty.

"Thanks?"

The gratitude was given with a grain of salt. Namie raised an eyebrow in slight confusion.

"Is there a problem with me doing it alone?"

"No, I just didn't expect you to be so willing to help me out."

Namie rolled her eyes and began to walk away.

"I'm not doing you a favor, I'm just letting you know it's not necessary for you to stay."

"Of course you are."

Mikage left and Namie made her way to the biology room. She began to prepare for the line of students coming to collect their money. She quickly distributed the money to the students who won the bet from the other day. The whole process didn't take long and after it was over, Namie took out her cut of the money and left Izaya and Mikage's cut in the box. Just as she was about to leave a small knock was at the door. It was none other than, .

"It's about time I got you away from that boy, I've been meaning to get a moment with you all day."

The exasperation was clear on Namie's face.

"What do you want now?"

"I just wanted to talk to you, also I was curious as to why a line of students was standing outside of the biology room."

Namie tried to give an inadequate excuse and leave the room

"What can I say, kids love science, but I actually have to go."

Before Namie could get the door back open enough for her to slip out, slammed his hand on it and closed it back.

"Why are you in such a rush, You haven't even given me a chance. As a matter of fact, I don't even know your name."

Namie looked the teacher up and down with an expression of disdain and kept her hand on the doorknob.

"My name is Mikage, Mikage Sharaku."

The smile on his face slightly grew.

"See, we are making process. So, Mikage, what do you like to do?"

A small fake laugh escaped her before she answered him.

"Look, you repulse me and I'm not interested, don't you have a wife you need to get home to... My mistake, if you did, you wouldn't have to flirt with students."

The smile on 's face did not falter, he simply opened the door to let himself out.

"There's no need to be rude, I understand, you need time to adjust to our developing relationship and I can give you that."

The teacher laughed to himself as he left, as if there was an inside joke only he knew about. Namie looked at him like he was a crazy man, it was as if her words went into one ear and out of the other. She decided not to worry about it too much and continued to gather her belongings.

She couldn't be happier for the day to be over, but as soon as she walked out Izaya was waiting right outside the door for her.

"Well Namie, I didn't know you had a thing for older men."

She rolled her her eyes and shook her head.

"I didn't know either." She sarcastically countered.

"He does have a reputation for sexually harassing some of the girls and I'm sure he even had a relationship with one."

Izaya began to scratch his head and a face full of concentration.

"I can't seem to recall her name at the moment. I think it was-"

"I don't care and it doesn't matter. He's just a pervert, that's not even worth me thinking about. Besides, I could always let a school administrator know."

"Where's the fun in that?" Izaya questioned.

"The fun in what?"

"You could have that teacher wrapped around your finger, all you need is a way to keep him in line. Blackmail usually works, I've heard he's been getting involved with the Awakusu group recently."

Namie went sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"I don't care for , and his business has nothing to do with me."

Izaya shook his head in disagreement.

"I don't think you understand, you can use that man for your own benefit."

Namie began to glare at Izaya.

"Why are you telling me all of this, what is there for you to gain? Do you think me having control over him will grant you some control over him by association?"

A small chuckle escaped Izaya's mouth as he shook his head.

"I'm just trying to help you. I consider you an opportunist, so I thought you would take this one."

"I am an opportunist, I just don't happen to follow every suggestion you plot in my head."

"You know if you ever need help, I'm here to help. Although, I'll always ask for something in return."

Namie didn't acknowledge Izaya's last comment, and was about to walk away, until a boy approached them.

"I've been looking for one of you all day."

"Biology club is closed comeback tomorrow." Izaya deadpanned

"No, no that's not it at all. I just, I need a refund, before my dad notices his missing money."

"That sounds like your problem."

"B-but, I need it back."

Namie began to observe the was average looking, but a nervous wreck. She decided it was a good time to intervene the conversation.

"Look, I understand that you lost some money and you're upset, but the beauty in gambling is that you can always win back what you lose. If you really want your money back, bet on the right team tomorrow."

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that?"

Both Izaya and Namie then walked past the kid without another word and began making their way to the school exit.

"Where is Shizuo?"

"Not sure, last time I saw him, he was flying threw the air from being hit by a truck."

"He just got out the hospital to." Namie said more to herself than to Izaya.

"So that's who you were visiting, how sweet." Izaya mocked.

Namie sent a silent glare in his direction, which seemed to brush right off of him.

"No need to be mad. I promise you that monster is still breathing."

"I'm not mad, irritated maybe, but not mad."

They then reached the schools front doors and Izaya began making his way to his car. Namie considered asking him for another ride home, but she decided that visiting Celty was preferable.

When she arrived at the car repair shop, the garage door to Celty's section was open and Shinra was sitting inside talking to her. Namie quietly knocked on the side of the garage door frame to gain their attention.

"Thought I'd stop by since I never came yesterday."

Celty ran up to greet Namie with a hug.

"I was wondering why you never stopped by yesterday. Did anything happen?"Celty asked

"Nothing worth talking about."

Shinra then got up to greet Namie also.

"I thought you would still be tending to the biology club with Izaya and Mikage." He asked

"You mean the club you never go to? Well, I already took care of of it. No thanks to Izaya or Mikage."

Hearing Namie's words, Celty joined the conversation.

"Shinra! You told me you would participate in an after school activity."

Shinra raised his hands up in defense and a small sweat drop ran down his face.

"I founded a club, isn't that enough?"

"No, it is not enough, you don't even go to it."

"But I want to spend my time with you."

A small smile appeared on Namie's face as she watched Shinra and Celty argue. It was almost strange how perfect those two were for each other. Namie never took that big of an interest into love, seeing as her parents barely interacted with each other, some days she wonders if they were put into some kind of arranged marriage.

Right then, her phone began to ring and she excused herself from the shop, not that Shinra and Celty were paying any attention to her. She looked at the Caller Id to see that it was Izaya calling her. She hung up and he immediately began calling her again, she sighed and answered the phone.

"Next time, just answer and save yourself the trouble."

"What do you want?" Namie deadpanned

"I almost forgot to ask, Did you handle the gambling ring?"

"All the winners got their share of the prize, the box with you and Mikage's cut of the money is hidden in the biology club room."

"Good job, I knew you would make sure everything was handled."

The comment caused a slight smile to appear on Namie's face.

"What can I say, money makes the world go around. Are we done now?"

Namie was given no response. After a few seconds Izaya's voice could be heard over the phone.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

He asked as if it was a question, but he ended the call before Namie had a chance to answer. She turned off the phone with a sigh. She began to think about the offer gave her. Dealing with the mafia was risky business,but all in all she was curious as to what would happen. She reluctantly took out her phone and dialed the number she was given. After about two rings she hung up.

'What am I doing? Getting involved with a major crime syndicate is stupid on my part.'

Namie sighed and began to make her way to the bus stop. She didn't particularly want to take the bus home, but her usual ways were not available.

'I really need my own car.'

She didn't dare go to sleep. Namie didn't trust the city nor its residents. Ikebukoro corrupts everything and everyone in or around it. She noticed that at Raijin academy the students from her junior high were civil compared to the ones raised in Ikebukoro. They were more aggressive, violent, and plain rude. Not that she couldn't handle them, it was just an observation. She took out a book and read it for the rest of the ride home.

Izaya hung up his phone in content and continued to patiently wait for the person he was suppose to be meeting.

He noticed a familiar face sitting on a bench on the other side of the park. He wore a suit, had a cane, and red hair. Izaya couldn't clearly see his face because the newspaper he appeared to be reading covered most of it, but his other characteristics made him stick out. After a few minutes of observing him from afar, he decided to address him.

"Isn't reading the newspaper a little outdated?" Izaya inquired

"Yeah, but I still do it every now and then. It reminds me of a time not to long ago."

He never once removed the newspaper from in front of his face, so he sat down to occupy the seat next to the man.

"It almost looks like you're trying to be inconspicuous."

He saw his eyebrow slightly raised in curiosity.

"And why would I want to do that?" the man inquired

"I don't know, maybe to watch someone."

Small, deep laughs began to escape the man's mouth and when he folded up his newspaper, it was indeed .

"Well you spotted me, in no less than a minute to, very good."

"Why were you watching me, I don't consider myself anywhere near as interesting as some of these other people."

Izaya gestured to the many people scattered around the park. Mr. Akabayashi shook his head and stood up.

"I always considered you a strange kid. Anyway, I have another small task for you."

"Oh, how exciting."

couldn't tell whether the boy was being sarcastic or was generally happy to receive another job, but handed the envelope to the boy with indifference.

"There's a teacher at your school that is in debt with the Awakusu-kai. I'm sending him a message through you as a warning." explained

"And you can't do this yourself because..."

"I find myself a bit lazy and low on time nowadays."

Izaya shrugged his shoulders in with a contented smirk on his face.

"As good a reason as any, I guess. If you have the money for it, why do anything yourself?"

gave the boy a strange look. He could never understand how the kid's mind worked. There are few kids like Orihara who are useful because they stay emotionally unattached to any underground jobs they do, but there was definitely something different about the Orihara kid.

"Have it done by the end of the week." stated as he walked away.

Izaya gladly placed the envelope in his book bag and drove home. As he got out his car he spared a glance at the house across the street from his own. His eyes subconsciously wandered to the window he placed a ladder under so many mornings.

 _'I wonder what she's doing. Knowing a workaholic like her, she's probably doing homework.'_ ** _  
_** **  
**With a small smile he called her number while staring at her window. After a few rings the voicemail machine came on and he knew she had declined his call.

 _'She never learns.'_ ** _  
_** **  
**As he entered his house he kept redialing her number. His parents were both currently overseas, and Mairu and Kururi were practicing their martial arts in the living room. As soon as the two twins spotted him they ran up to him.

"Izaya, look at what we can do." They both yelled in unison, Mairu more enthusiastically than Kururi.

They then began to do various kicks and flips to try and grab his attention. Izaya lazily watched his twins and noticed that they still wore the same outfit, the only difference was that they switched the colors.

"That's nice Kururi." He yawned after they finished.

He then tried to make his way upstairs to his room, before his shirt was grabbed by a small hand.

"What about me, how did I do?" Mairu yelled

"Oh, I consider you two the same person. So when I address one of you, know that I'm addressing both of you." Izaya stated with a blank expression

Mairu tilted her head and became confused.

"But we're not the same person."

Izaya turned around, bent down, and patted Mairu's head with one hand.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

He then made his way upstairs and into his room without turning back. He laid flat on his bed before his thoughts drifted back to the assignment he received earlier. He took the envelope out of his bag and opened it. He took out the letter that was meant for the target and took out a picture. As he stared at the picture a wide grin spread onto his face.

He looked out his window to see that Namie was laying on her bed doing homework, like he expected. He called again and watched her pick up her phone, decline his call, and go back to doing work. Instead of redialing her number he waited on the beep so he could leave a voicemail.

"You really shouldn't make it a habit to ignore calls, I actually had good news for you, and now you have to wait to hear it. Also, you look as beautiful as ever from where I'm standing."

He sent it to her and she immediately received it. He watched her pick up her phone and contemplate whether to listen to his voicemail or not. After a minute or so she decided to listen to it and he enjoyed watching her march to her window and closing her blinds afterwards.

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	9. A funny thing happened on the way to you

_**A/n: Hey guys, four months goes by fast doesn't it. Sometimes I wonder if people ever read this part, because I never do. Well, here is chapter 9 and Enjoy!**_

Namie returned to the comfort of her bed and continued to do her homework. She then heard a knock on her room door, followed by her mom opening the door and coming into her room.

"I need you to make sure your brother catches the bus to school tomorrow. Your father is going to be traveling for the next couple of days and I need to pull an overnight shift at work tomorrow."

Namie stared at her mother with a blank expression on her face before responding.

"I don't remember saying you could come in."

A glare appeared on her mother's face. Namie expected to get a lecture, but instead her mother eventually sighed.

"I don't have time to argue with you, just make sure you get it done."

After her room door was shut, Namie rolled over to lay on her back. She realized how exhausted she was and a small headache was beginning to make itself known. She decided to take a shower and go to bed.

The next morning she made sure Seiji caught his bus before she caught her bus. On her short walk towards the school she passed "Russia Sushi". Simon was standing outside as usual, but instead of advertising sushi he was advertising coffee.

"Getting Cold? Try new warm coffee here!"

Namie looked at him in skepticism.

"This is a sushi shop, why are you trying to sell coffee?"

Simon stared at her with a blank expression before a smile spread onto his face once again.

"It new. Wanna try?"

Namie looked at the time, she had five minutes before school started, but she was exhausted and a cup of coffee could really help her get through the day. With a sigh she walked past Simon and into "Russia Sushi" to order a small coffee. She tasted the coffee as she began walking to school and nearly choked when the bitter taste hit her tongue.

 _'They should really stick to sushi.'  
_  
Namie arrived on the Raijin Academy campus and saw nothing but chaos. Students and teachers were scattered in front of the school and fire trucks were trying to put out a fire. Luckily, she spotted Celty amongst the crowd of students and casually approached her from behind.

"What did Izaya do this time?"

Celty nonchalantly looked over at Namie.

"Well you're half right, but Shizuo caused this to."

Namie shook her head in disapproval and crossed her arms.

"What did _they_ do this time?"

"Apparently, Shizuo didn't appreciate being lead out into the front of a truck so he chased Izaya throughout the school this morning. They ended up knocking over a chemistry teacher carrying chemicals for her class, they mixed and caused a chemical fire."

Namie scoffed in disbelief.

"I didn't even know that could happen."

"Yes, how unfortunate." came a voice from behind Namie.

She turned around to see Izaya standing behind her. She looked him up and down and saw that he was sweating and out of breath.

"You must be slacking if you had to break a sweat to get away from Shizuo." Namie observed

A slightly annoyed expression made its way onto his face and Namie was genuinely surprised, it usually took a lot more to make Izaya even flinch. She figured that his encounters with Shizuo naturally brought down his mood.

"I'd appreciate a bit of your coffee instead of a mouthful of criticism." Izaya sarcastically pointed out.

Namie shrugged and handed the whole cup to him with a slight smile on her face. The school principal then got in front of the crowd with a microphone in hand. Namie and Celty moved with the crowd and walk towards the principle as Izaya nearly choked on Namie's coffee. Everybody went silent so that they could hear what the principle had to say.

"Students, we apologize for the inconvenience, class has been disrupted because some of your fellow peers can't seem to get along..."

Namie looked back towards Izaya at that moment. He had a blank expression on his face and didn't seem fazed by what was being said. She silently wondered if Izaya and Shizuo would be punished. The school couldn't even punish them if they wanted to, Shizuo would most likely ignore and avoid his consequences and Izaya would find some way out of it. Namie turned her attention back to the speech being made.

"...They have put out the fire, but there are still some fumes in the air. So, as of now class is dismissed for the rest of the day, but the fumes will be cleared out by the time after school hours come and the school will be open to students in after school activities."

"Aren't they being a bit over dramatic, the fire only happened on one hallway." Celty pointed out

Namie nodded her head in agreement, but she didn't have to go to school so she wasn't complaining. She felt Izaya place his forehead onto her shoulder and She tried to lightly shrug him away, but he wouldn't budge.

"I just want something to lean against,try not to flatter yourself." Izaya mumbled

She rolled her eyes despite having a smile on her face.

"That sounds like something I should be saying to you."

Celty gave both Izaya and Namie a strange look. The two teens often argued a lot and couldn't stand each other, yet Namie could tolerate Izaya using her as a pillow. It was if their whole relationship was a contradiction. As soon as Celty stopped sending them strange looks, Namie turned her head slightly towards Izaya.

"So what news did you have to tell me?"

Izaya took out a pen and wrote the name and address of a location on her arm.

"Meet me here around 9:00 and you'll find out."

Namie looked at the address and then lightly elbowed the tall boy in the stomach.

"Just tell me now."

"I would've told you yesterday, but you wanted to ignore me." Izaya responded with a casual smile and with a shrug in his shoulders.

Namie turned away from Izaya with a bit of frustration. It was then that she began to notice some jealous eyes in the crowd of students. Several of her female peers were sending scowls her way, Namie considered sending one back at each of them.

 _'Pick and choose your battles, this one is not worth it.'_ She thought to herself.

Namie decided it was best not to upset a cult of fan girls and lightly pushed Izaya away.

"Aww, come on Namie don't be like that. Why do want to ruin the surprise I have for you." Izaya playfully pleaded

Namie rolled her eyes and motioned to all of the girls that were glaring at her.

"I'd rather not be attacked by your little fan club as soon as I leave the school."

Izaya looked towards the girls Namie was referring to with a deadpan expression on his face.

"Who knew I still had followers."

"You mean groupies." Celty corrected

"They're all humans and I love them all the same way. So what, if they take an interest in me. It's all in perspective, really."

The principle then dismissed all the students and everyone began walking in their own directions. Before Izaya wandered off to far Namie caught up with him.

"Are we going to meet back at school for the biology club."Namie questioned

"No, barely anybody going to be at the school anyway. Take some time to enjoy yourself." Izaya replied while maintaining a smirk on his face.

Namie stopped walking with him and began to walk her own way. Soon afterwards Celty found her again.

"Namie, since we have all this free time we should go do something." She suggested

Namie looked at Celty with indifference and shrugged her shoulders.

"Where is it you want to go?"

A smile developed on Celty's face. She grabbed Namie's hand and began leading her to an unknown destination.

"Wait, where are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there."

After a short while Namie found herself in front of a theatre.

"There's a play here that I've been meaning to go see. I was originally going to go with Shinra, but he had to help his dad with something today." Celty explained

Namie looked at the place with an eyebrow raised. She had nothing against movies,but she doubted that Celty shared the same taste in entertainment with her. They bought tickets, snacks, and took up two seats near the middle of the auditorium.

Namie slipped into a few naps throughout the play, but was able to follow the main storyline. It was about a dullahan in search of her missing head.

As she search in one of the local villages she fell in love with a doctor, but in the end when she got her head back, she remembered that the doctor was her next target and she killed him.

Namie wasn't that interested in the play,but Celty couldn't have been more engrossed with it. After it was over,she even went as far as to wait in line to meet the actors that portrayed each character and compliment them. By the time they got out of the theatre, daylight was nowhere in sight and it was alarmingly close to the time Namie was to meet Izaya.

"Have you had your fun for today?" Namie asked as she yawn and stretched her arms.

"Every scene had me at the edge of my seat! The action, the character development, the tragedy. I wish I could see it all over again."

"I bet you do." Namie sarcastically remarked with a smirk on her face.

They fell into a comfortable silence and began walking in a random direction. Namie didn't realize how much she missed spending time with Celty, it dawned on her that she never even mentioned what happened over the summer and couldn't help but hesitate to bring it up now. She didn't think Celty would judge her, but apart of her was still afraid of just that. She looked over at Celty who was absentmindedly staring up at the night sky.

"Celty...before you find out on your own i'd like to mention that I have been partnering with Izaya for certain things recently and…"

"I know."

Namie was in slight awe that Celty knew this whole time and never mentioned or asked about it.

"No need to sugarcoat it, Shinra told me everything...I'm a little disappointed I didn't hear it from you though."

Namie stared straight ahead. She couldn't really think of a reason of why she didn't tell Celty anything. It was most likely fear of judgement, but she just couldn't admit that to herself. This began to make Namie really analyze Celty as a person. The girl definitely had a moral compass combined with a good heart, but the people she associates with aren't exactly what society considers savory. Shinra is an underground doctor in training, Namie is definitely no angel, and Izaya is an enthusiastic psychopath. As Namie thought about this she didn't realize that Celty had come to a stop.

"Namie, I know you're no saint and even though working with Izaya is really sketchy, I won't tell you 'not to do it' or 'be careful' because I know you can handle yourself…"

A small smile had crept onto Namie's face.

"...and all I can do is be your friend and stay by your side."

"Thanks, Celty." Namie said in a quiet voice

Celty sighed in contentment, gave Namie a farewell, and walked back the direction they came from. Namie shook away her small smile, took out her phone, typed in the address written on her arm, and began to follow the directions. The location wasn't a short walk away, but about halfway to it she ran into a familiar brunette haired boy.

He was smoking a cigarette outside a small convenient store and from the looks of it seemed to be in some kind of daze. Namie approached Shizuo, whom's presence he didn't notice until she spoke up.

"You're way too young to be smoking."

He finally acknowledged and her and began to scratch his head in concentration.

"Maybe so, but it helps me relax and clear my mind when I need to."

"You mean there's actually some thought behind your actions?"

A small laugh escaped him as Namie began to take in his appearance. He was wearing the usual school uniform, but it was disheveled just like his hair. She also couldn't help but notice the many injuries that had appeared and the horrible bandaging he probably did himself.

When she looked back to his face she noticed that he had somehow slipped back into a daze. She sighed and began to snap her fingers in front of his face. He came out of his daze shock to see that she was still there.

"Why do you always get like this after you encounter Izaya? I use to think you were upset about him getting away, but now I'm unsure." Namie pointed out

Shizuo let out another puff of smoke before putting his cigarette out on the wall behind him.

"I don't know. Guilt I guess. I have a hard time controlling my anger and sometimes I just lash out on everything around me."

"You can't help the fact that you're a hot-headed dumbass."

Another laugh escaped him as he leaned his head against the wall.

"Yeah, you're probably right about that."

Another moment of silence passed before Shizuo finally grabbed his book bag.

"I think I'm going to head home, I can give you a ride if you want one."

Namie walked pass Shizuo and continued in the direction she was going.

"I think I'll take you up on that offer another time."

She waved a goodbye to him as she walked away and arrived at her destination not too long later. Izaya was sitting in front of the steps of an apartment building and his face lit up when he spotted her.

"Why are we here?" She immediately questioned

Izaya held his finger up and wiggled it in front of her.

"Not yet, you won't know the surprise until after we leave."

Namie looked up at the apartment building in general confusion.

"Do you know someone who lives here or something?"

"Yes, this is actually 's apartment building. I need him to unlock the front doors of the building , he probably won't unlock the doors for me, but he definitely will for you."

Namie immediately backed away at the mention of the teacher's name.

"I don't know what this is, but now I'm sure I don't want to be apart of it."

She began to walk away before Izaya grabbed her hand.

"Are you sure? After tonight he won't bother you again."

Namie was convinced that the boy had finally lost his mind.

"How could you be sure about that?"

Izaya shrugged with the same mischievous smirk on his face. Namie began to contemplate her decision. The next few minutes were filled with complete silence, as she began to weigh the pros and cons. She wasn't scared of or Izaya, but she didn't know what Izaya's plan was or why he needed her here. Namie looked back up at Izaya and he was sitting on the stairs with his eyes close patiently waiting for Namie to make a decision.

"For someone who wants something you're not trying to hard to convince me." Namie indicated

Izaya's position did not change and he didn't bother to open his eyes as he responded.

"I doubt you even want to listen to what I have to say."

Namie walked over to the small set of stairs and sat down next to Izaya.

"Maybe I do."

Izaya leaned back and put his hands behind his head.

"I have a way of getting off your back, that's all I have to offer. Although, if you do say no, I'm not driving you home. Instead, I'll wish you good luck in finding a bus that'll take you home at this hour."

She realized he had a point and began to contemplate her decision a bit more and came to a small realization.

"Is that part of the reason why you wanted to meet me here so late, so that it would be harder for me to take a bus home?"

The smirk on Izaya's face grew.

"Maybe."

This was exactly why she wasn't willing to trust Izaya, because he's always pulling little tricks and telling little lies. During the summer, when she was distributing Cloud 9, Izaya wasn't there most of the time, but when any sort of altercation broke out, somehow he was by her side in a minute. She would never admit it out loud, but during those mornings knowing Izaya had her back even when he wasn't with her, brought her some comfort. Was this time any different?

"You know you're asking me to trust you of all people?" She said with an incredulous look

Izaya gave another shrug, but his facial expression did not change.

"Is that to much to ask?"

Namie pinched the bridge of her nose and then walked back towards the door.

 _'I'm going to regret this.'  
_  
"Let's just get this over with."

With a smile Izaya pushed the button on the intercom that called 's room.

"Hello." Came his voice from the intercom

"Hey, it's Mikage, I just wanted to talk to you about something. Is it ok for me to come up?"

Izaya gave Namie a look of intrigue when she said her name was Mikage. Namie mouthed the words 'long story' before he was able to question her.

"Mikage?! I wasn't really expecting you but, of course, come right up."

The front door of the apartment building immediately unlocked and Izaya held his hand out for Namie to take. Namie considered taking it, but to her it would be admitting that on some level she was scared and took comfort in his presence, so instead she walked past him and entered the building.

They walked up the stairs to the fourth floor and made their way to his room door. Before Izaya knocked on the door he spared a glance at Namie half expecting her to be nervous, but she wasn't.

She almost seemed uninterested in her current situation, but then again she wasn't phased by most of the things she was exposed to during her time selling 'Cloud 9'. Or maybe she had him fooled and was hiding her emotions. He couldn't stand the fact that she was an enigma to him sometimes. He made a mental note to make sure that one day he'll be able to read her like a book.

He knocked on the door and as soon as he saw it crack open, he kicked the door wide open with his foot and walked into 's apartment like it was his own.

Namie couldn't help but smile his over dramatic entrance, she then shut and locked the door and took her position in front of it. apparently had been thrown to the ground when Izaya kicked the door open and was currently staring at the two teens in awe.

Izaya stood over the man with giant smirk on his face.

"Let's have a chat, Takashi."

After a moment regained his voice and looked at Namie who was standing in front of the door.

"Mikage, Who...Who the hell is...thi-"

"Don't worry about her." Izaya interrupted while stepping in front of 's eyesight. "We're here to talk about you."

The teacher abruptly stood back up with anger clearly in his eyes.

"Get the hell out my apartment!"

Izaya immediately pulled out a knife and pointed it at .

"Un Uh, Not so fast my friend, let's not make this any more complicated than it needs to be." He taunted

Namie was a bit surprised, did Izaya really intend to stab the teacher if he stepped out of line. She personally wouldn't mind, but she wasn't in the mood to help cover up a homicide.

"Who are you." questioned while glaring daggers at the boy.

"Consider me a warning. You have debts that need to be paid and I have a feeling that your lender is becoming impatient." Izaya mocked

's eyes widened as he realized who and what the boy was referring to.

"N-No, you can't be apart of them. You're just a kid!"

"Don't let the good looks and polite voice fool you." Namie advised from her spot next to the door.

She had no idea how Izaya knew about 's debts, but she enjoyed watching the teacher being humiliated. It dawned on her that Izaya never did anything out of selflessness and that he might expect something in return after they were done here. She then turned her attention back to the scene that was unfolding in front of her.

"Look, I-I just need some more time. Tell them I can get it to them within a month." pleaded as he slowly descended onto his knees.

Izaya shrugged his shoulders and took a seat in one of the nearby living room chairs.

"Sorry, it's out of my hands. Unless..."

looked up with so much disdain in his eyes, Namie could tell that he was mentally preparing himself for whatever Izaya was about to ask him to do.

"Well don't look so sad Takashi, I only have two simple tasks for you to do."

Izaya bent down to 's and held one finger up.

"First, I know a few kids that are failing your class. All I need you to do is see to it that they are passing for the rest of the year. Here are their names..."

Izaya took a piece of paper out of his pocket and placed it in 's hand.

"Second, My friend...Mikage does not appreciate your advances. Leave her alone. If you agree to those two things I'll see to it that you have more time to repay your debts."

Izaya held his hand out to shake and looked him up and down with suspicion.

"How can I trust you." He asked with caution

"I'm a man of my word, Takashi."

The teacher slowly took Izaya hand and shook it, but from Namie's angle she could see the crossed fingers Izaya had behind his back. Izaya then stood back up in excitement.

"See! That was a nice little chat wasn't it. No blood had to be shed and we have an agreement now."

was still a bit shaken at the whole incident. He was still sitting on the floor and staring at his hand in awe, but Izaya was no longer paying any attention to him and was heading out the door.

"Come on Mikage , nothing left for us here."

Namie spared one last glance back at the teacher who was still kneeling on the floor staring at his hand. She shook her head at his shameful condition and shortly followed after Izaya. She caught up with Izaya who was now whistling a joyful tune.

"So how did you like the surprise?" Izaya questioned

"If you expect me to be grateful that you got off my back, don't."

"Did you at least enjoy the show."

Namie looked away with a small smile on her face.

"I will say, it was interesting to watch the perverted fool grovel. The real question is what do you want in return."

"I didn't expect anything in return."

Namie averted her eyes away from him and scoffed.

"It's never that easy with you."

As they reached the building's front door Izaya opened the door for Namie and then followed after her.

"Let's just say it would have been a lot harder for me to get into his room if you weren't here."

After Izaya stated those words it all began to make since to Namie. She stopped walking and turned back to stare at Izaya.

"I get it now. You make this whole thing sound like you're doing me a favor. When really you had business with and needed me so that you had a way to get into his apartment."

"Was that not obvious?" Izaya sarcastically remarked

A small laugh escaped Namie, she was tired and didn't have enough energy to be mad.

"Shame on me, right? Why should I have expected otherwise?"

With a satisfied smile, Izaya held the front door open for Namie and walked through behind her.

"Although, I do have one more question."

Namie stated as soon as they were back outside.

"Do you intend on keeping the promise you made to ?"

Izaya stared back at Namie with that same smile on his face. He then walked past Namie and looked up towards the window of 's apartment.

"No, I don't. Does that bother you?"

Namie couldn't help but let out another small laugh.

"I could care less what happens to that man, I was just curious."

"I couldn't give him extra time if I wanted to, it's out of my hands I was only acting as a messenger, but why pass up any opportunity to mess up his life a bit more."

In that second, Namie's respect for Izaya instantly increased, she was beginning to like the way he thinks. He could be annoying when he wanted to, but at the end of the day were they really that different from each other?

As if on cue it began to rain. Namie took out an umbrella, while Izaya held his arms out and enjoyed the rain.

"It was a great day wasn't it, Namie."

For a moment Namie stared at Izaya with an eyebrow raised.

"You're so childish." She said as she walked towards Izaya and held the umbrella out to him.

Izaya stared at her with uncertainty, she usually wasn't this nice to him. Namie saw the slight confusion that flashed across his face.

"You'll get sick if you walk in the rain. Besides, you're taller so you should be the one to hold the umbrella."

Izaya finally took the umbrella with a satisfied smile and they walked back to his car in a comfortable silence.

 _ **Thank you...**_

 _ **T.K for favoriting and following**_

 _ **Mariyangmaldita for favoriting**_

 _ **Hope-Wolf-19 for favoriting and following**_

 _ **CSS for favoriting and following**_


	10. Who's fight is it anway?

_**Y'all are still here? Jk, I appreciate the fact that you guys are still willing to read after months in between chapters. Chapter 10 here we go.**_

For the next few months Namie continued making money from the gambling ring, it paid her more than she needed so she had come to considered it a job almost. Shinra never came by the biology club and Izaya was often getting chased by Shizuo after school, so Namie and Mikage ended up spending a lot of time together. Despite this fact, each girl carried a level of dislike for the other, therefore they only managed to become acquaintances at best.

It was now December, school was letting out at 1:30 instead of 3:00 due to all the final exams and winter break was next week. The school bell had ringed and Namie was making her way to the biology club room. It had been a stressful day and her period hadn't put her in the best of moods.

She walked in to see Mikage arguing with Nakura. He was a regular participant in the bets, but he was a sore loser whenever he lost some money.

"Please. Can't you guys give me a loan or something."

"No special treatment, No refunds, No givebacks. If you want your money back you have to win it." Mikage responded with a blank expression.

At this point the boy began to get mad.

"Just give it back you tomboyish bitch!"

Mikage threw one swift kick and had the boy clutching his arm while kneeling in the ground. He looked up at her with a glare that could kill.

"This isn't over!" He yelled

He then ran out the room, and in his haste, bumped into Namie and continued to scramble his way out the door.

"I see our old friend Nakura is back again."

Mikage rolled her eyes and took a seat at one of the desk.

"This is the third time this month he's asked for his money back. He's also gotten a lot bolder, I had to teach him a lesson so he could remember who he was talking to."

With a slight smile Namie set up her station and took out the names of the people who won last night's bet. Students then began to pour into the classroom to receive their reward money. Afterwards, Namie counted out a portion of the money and pocketed it, she then passed Mikage another portion of the money.

"Where is Izaya?" Namie questioned

"Wouldn't you like to know."

Times like these were the reason why Namie couldn't let go of the deep disdain she held for Mikage. She even admitted to herself that she would be indifferent towards her, if the girl didn't assume they were in some sort of competition for Izaya.

"I just want to give him his portion of the money."

Mikage got up from the desk and stretched. "I don't know where he is, earlier today he mentioned he wasn't going to be here."

The red-headed girl then packed up her belongings and left the biology room. Soon afterwards Namie gathered her things and locked the door behind her, but neither girl noticed the man standing just around the corner, watching them leave the room.

Namie made her way towards Russia Sushi, where Simon was standing outside advertising. He then spotted her as she approached the restaurant.

"Namie! You come for sushi, yes."

"Well, I'm not here for the coffee." She joked

And with that she walked in and saw Dennis working the kitchen as usual.

"I'll take the usual Dennis."

"Nice to finally see you again Namie. Your order will be ready, momentarily."

Namie looked around at the full tables as she waited for her order. A short while later Dennis brought her food out to her.

Namie gave him a thanks and made her way back to hospital, like she had so many times before. She walked into the main area to see Shizuo already checking out.

"You're out already?" She asked as she approached him.

"Yeah, my injuries weren't as severe, despite the fact a fire hydrant slammed me into a brick wall."

A look of skepticism flashed across Namie's face. "How could you escape that without getting hurt?"

Shizuo shrugged, grabbed his things, and began making his way towards the exit.

"I healed on my own, I guess. It's as if my body is getting stronger."

His eyes then strayed down to the box of food Namie was carrying.

"Is that for me?"

Shizuo instinctively reached down towards the box, but Namie pulled it away from him.

"No, this is my dinner. I told you not to expect my generosity. If I knew you'd be hospitalized this much, I wouldn't have brought you anything the first time."

Shizuo raised both his hands in mock surrender.

"Alright, I can understand that."

They walked out of the hospital and began making their way down the street.

"Where do you even go after you leave the hospital." Namie questioned

Shizuo took out a cigarette and blew a puff of smoke before responding.

"I usually go hang around Tom's apartment or just go home. I don't have much else t-"

"Heiwajima!"

Shizuo was cut off by a yell from a boy that was now standing in front of them. The boy held up a knife towards Shizuo, and Namie could see the anger that immediately replaced the calm expression on Shizuo's face.

Before anyone could make a move several other boys came out of the shadows of the alleyways and street corners.

"What the hell is this." Shizuo mumbled, more to himself then anybody.

"Bastard, you think you can get away with what you did!" The boy yelled.

Namie began to strategically back out of the circle that the gang of boys had made around Shizuo. She watched as her brunette haired friend slowly put out his cigarette and look back up at the leader of the group with an intimidating glare.

All of the boys were visibly shaken. For a moment it seemed as if they would retreat, until one of the members standing behind Shizuo ran towards him with a knife and all hell broke through. Shizuo immediately grabbed that boy's arm and twisted it behind his back, he then push that boy into two of his buddies. As soon as that was over two more boys came rushing at Shizuo and he knocked them out with a punch and a head-butt.

Namie watched from the sidelines as Shizuo took out each attacker with one bone-shattering punch. She didn't notice the one kid sneaking up behind her, she froze and dropped her bag of food when he held a knife to her neck and wrapped an arm around her stomach.

"Now if you don't struggle or scream we won't have any prob-"

Namie stomped on the boys foot before he could finish his sentence. His grip on the knife loosened and she then took her elbow and drove it back into the boys stomach. He crumpled to the ground in pain and Namie easily got away. When she look back towards Shizuo he had a circle of unconscious boys around him, she could even see that Shizuo had punched some of the boys so hard that they flew down the street.

"Bitch, you'll pay for this." Said Namie's attacker, who was still on the ground writhing in pain.

"Who were these guys?" Namie questioned, easily dismissing the threat made by the boy and casually picking up her bag of sushi.

Shizuo shrugged and placed his hands behind his head.

"Hell if I know, sometimes I randomly get attacked by assholes like these."

"And you never bothered to find out why?"

"Tch. I already know why. That flea keeps framing me for shit I didn't do, therefore small groups keep targeting me."

Namie didn't respond, she never really cared for Izaya and Shizuo rivalry. It was childish and petty and she didn't want anything to do with it. Those two may even resolve their problems throughout time, but until then their destructive feud would continue. Whether by Izaya jumping out of windows to get away from Shizuo, or Shizuo fighting small gangs sent by Izaya.

"You two are going to kill each other one day." Namie concluded

Shizuo stuffed his hand in his pockets and continued walking with Namie close behind him.

"Maybe, but I'm perfectly content with him staying out of my life."

"That's impossible he goes to the same school as you and lives in the same neighborhood. You can't really avoid him, trust me I've tried."

Shizuo shrugged off Namie's comment, leaving her to her own thoughts. They walked in silence for the next few minutes, until Shizuo slowed down to a stop. Namie didn't even realize he was no longer walking and lightly bumped into him. His back was facing her so she walked around him to take a look at his face, only to see that he was observing their environment .

With a sigh Namie backed away and folded her arms. "Careful Shizuo, think to hard and you'll hurt yourself."

When he didn't respond, she slightly nudged his shoulder to get his attention. He finally turned back towards her with a frown on his face.

"I feel like we're being followed...no, forget it, I'm just being paranoid."

Namie nodded her head in understanding. "You never know, could be some survivors from that group of boys that attacked you."

Shizuo hummed in agreement and abruptly turned around to continue walking, before Namie could follow Shizuo stopped her.

"Go home Namie, I'll see you later." he said as he waved his hand in farewell.

Namie stared at his retreating back with a blank expression before catching up and walking right by his side again.

"Don't tell me what to do."

"It's nothin' personal, I just don't want you to be with me if those boys return with friends."

"I can handle myself." Namie argued with a glare.

"I never said you couldn't."

"That's what it sounded like to me."

"That's not what I-"

Before shizuo could finish his sentence , Namie was already walking back the way they came. She wasn't really in a rush to go home, her brother was still at school anyway. Namie found herself walking the streets of Ikebukuro with no destination in mind.

She didn't really have anything to do. So she took a seat and absently watched the streets of Ikebukuro as people sauntered by. Her mind couldn't help but wander back to Shizuo. If there was one thing Namie hated more than anything, it was being considered weak. A slight mix of anger and disappointment was growing inside her and she didn't realize it until that moment.

"I'm being emotionally rash, I should've at least heard him out." She thought with a sigh

The welcoming doors of a public library caught the young girl's attention.

"Well, I do need to study for finals a bit more."

She strolled in to see that the place was full of students studying and stressing over textbooks and study guides. Namie sat in the last computer available, but continued to observe the chaos that surrounded her. Her peers frantically searched for answers in textbooks, wrote on themselves to turn their own bodies into cheat sheets, and some just gave up and made trouble for the librarian.

"How the hell am I supposed to understand this shit."

The familiar female voice came from beside her, Namie turned around to see...

"...Mikage?"

Mikage turned to see Namie staring back at her.

"Why am I not surprise, that you of all people are here." She deadpanned

Namie did not respond as the red-head girl turned her attention back to her work. In slight curiosity, Namie looked over the girl's shoulder to see chemistry problems on the paper.

With a sigh, Namie picked up her book bag took one last look around at the pandemonium in the small library.

 _'I'm better off at home.'  
_  
She turned to begin making her way out until she felt a small tug on her book bag. Mikage had grabbed onto it at the last second.

"Are you any good at chemistry?"

Namie stared at the girl in for a good second before responding.

"Do I look like a tutor? Figure it out yourself."

Mikage pinched the bridge of her nose before looking back at Namie in slight frustration.

"If I could figure it out, I wouldn't be asking for your help."

Namie looked at the time on her phone and then back at Mikage.

 _'Seiji is not home yet, no need for me to rush then.'_

"What problems do you need help with?" Namie inquired as she reclaimed her seat.

"Most of them, but if you explain the last few to me I should be fine."

.

.

.

It turned out that Mikage needed a lot more help than initially thought. Namie went over the rules for how to balance out chemical reactions several times, before the red-headed girl even mildly began to understand the concept of the lesson. The library had cleared long ago out and Namie began watching the time, it was nearing 3:45 and Seiji would be expecting her to be home soon.

"What's between you two anyway." Mikage suddenly inquired

"What do you mean?"

"You and Izaya...what's happening there."

"Nothing, he's a coworker at best." Namie scoffed

"It sure doesn't seem that way." Mikage mumbled under her breath, but loud enough for Namie to hear.

"Stop wasting your time on that bastard. He is poison to everyone around him, get away while you can."

Namie looked over to see that the girl had ignored her comment and continued to finish the work.

"Just check this last question for me and you can be on your way."

Namie quickly scanned the last problem and checked it off.

"If you can remember what I taught you, the final exam tomorrow shouldn't be to hard for you."

Namie eyed the clock and realized that 30 minutes had somehow slipped by. She hastily gathered her things and rushed out the library door without so much as a goodbye to Mikage.

The bus dropped her off in front of her neighborhood and she took a mild walk to get to her house, Seiji was unsurprisingly waiting for her in the living room.

"I'm starving where have you been." The small boy Inquired

"I got held up on the way home."

Namie reached into the Russia Sushi bag and handed Seiji one of the containers of food. When she reached back in to pull out a container for herself she realized the contents of said container had spilled inside of the bag.

She thought back to when that boy grabbed her from behind and she dropped the bag. Namie exhaled in frustration and Seiji stared at her with slight empathy.

"Would you like me to share mine with you."

"No I couldn't ask that of you, don't worry about me Seiji, there has to be something here to eat."

Namie sauntered over to the refrigerator and opened it to see that it was full of nothing but condiments."

 _'Can't even make a simple sandwich.'_ She thought to herself.

Their parent's absences have recently been occurring over longer periods of time. The last time Namie saw her mom and dad was two weeks ago, the money that was given to them was long spent, and the Yagiri siblings were currently living off of the money Namie made from the gambling ring.

The sound of her stomach whining brought her attention back to the empty refrigerator in front of her. She began rummaging through the pantry to see if she could find anything, that would make a decent snack. In the middle of her search there was a knock on the front door. The thought of answering it almost physically pained Namie, she considered ignoring it, that was until the knock came again and more aggressively.

She made her way to the door and opened it to see Shizuo with his usual bad-tempered expression on his face. Before Namie could even think to get a word out, he spoke first.

"I'm sorry."

His angry expression molded into one of guilt. Namie caught on to what Shizuo was referring to, if she was honest with herself, she had almost forgot about their short argument and wasn't even mad anymore.

"I didn't mean to call you weak...," he continued "...I just meant..."

The boys eyebrows furrowed, it seemed as if he couldn't find the right words to express what he meant to say. Namie sighed at this and stepped outside. She slowly took a seat on the steps of her front porch with Shizuo hesitantly following her lead.

She remained silent as he lit a cigarette and brought it to his lips.

"When I was a lot younger there was this woman who owned a small shop and she would give me and Kasuka bottles of milk when we walked by."

He paused to take another puff and quickly finished his story.

"She was being harassed one day and I lost control, and I ended up hurting her instead of helping."

Namie didn't turn to meet Shizuo's lingering stare, instead she stared straight ahead and breathed in the smoke he exhaled her way.

"I really hate the smell of cigarette smoke."

A chuckle escaped Shizuo as he gazed at the small cigarette between his fingers.

"The point was that a lot of people fear me, but I don't want you to."

Namie scoffed and turned away, "Me, fear you? I don't think so ."

The comment was rude and harshly said, but Shizuo saw it as sentimental. They simply sat in silence for the next few minutes. Until Namie spotted the black car she had been in so many times before, pull into the driveway across from her own. She immediately stood up pulling Shizuo up with her.

"I accept your apology, but I really think you should be going now." Namie explained as she ushered the boy off her porch.

Shizuo glanced back at her in slight confusion, Namie wanted to explain the situation, but Izaya was already staring in their direction.

"Shizuo!" He called from across the street, "It's been a while what have you been up to old friend."

Namie could already see the vain's beginning to pulse in Shizuo's fist and neck. She lightly placed her hand on his shoulder to grab his attention, but it was almost like she wasn't there. His attention was solely placed on her neighbor that was causally crossing the street with a smug grin on their face.

"Shizuo!"

Namie demanded his attention, but he still wouldn't give to her. So she forcibly turned his head towards her and looked directly into his eyes.

"He's not worth it, just go home."

Shizuo's eyebrows furrowed in understanding and as soon as Izaya stepped a foot onto Namie's driveway, the boy was already making his way back home.

"What? Leaving already?" Izaya called out to the receding back of the boy

"What are you doing here, I don't remember inviting an annoying pest to come onto my driveway."

Izaya was then standing in front of Namie with his hands up in fake surrender.

"And to think I just wanted to come by and check up on a neighbor. Besides what if I won't leave your driveway, what could you do to make me leave."

"I could always call the police." Namie explained as she showed him her phone in her hand.

The smirk on Izaya's face only grew. "That actually might be interesting, I've never actually tried evading the police before. Makes me wonder if I could get away with it."

"What kind of lunatic are you? And don't you have better things to be doing other than bothering me."

"You're right, I really do need to start taking these groceries to the car."

The sound of possible food reminded Namie of the hunger she was feeling at the moment, and it lead her to stopping Izaya as he turned away to walk back to his car.

"Wait, are you having a big dinner tonight?"

"Yeah, I'm making hot pot. I prefer not to cook but the twins have been complaining about too much take out."

Namie felt a little shame about having to ask Izaya to join in on his dinner, and wasn't sure if she could swallow enough pride to go through with it. Izaya spotted the contemplation on her face and could immediately read her like a book.

"Namie, would you like to have dinner with me?"

The smugness in his voice could be heard and it irritated the hell out of her. So she turned away and crossed her arms.

"Yes."

"Sure. All you have to do is ask me."

Namie visibly sighed and began tapping her foot.

"Can I have some of your dinner?"

Izaya shook his head. "No not like that, Repeat after me. 'Izaya, will you please have dinner with me.' "

Namie was now looking at the boy with the most intimidating glare she could muster.

"I'm not saying that."

The boy shrugged and turned to leave once again, but Namie grabbed a hold of his shirt sleeve.

"Izaya, will you please have dinner with me?"

He turned to completely face her and the smirk that was on his face was now a smile that almost seemed genuine.

"Sure, we're having hot pot..."

Namie was slightly surprised that asking was all it took to get him to say yes. Usually there was some catch or ulterior motive.

"...but you have to cook it."

.

.

.

Namie sliced each meat and vegetable to appropriate sizes and placed them neatly next to each other. The water in the pot had finished boiling so she took the dried kelp out, turned the heat down to low, and added sake. Mairu and Kururi were both laid out on the couch watching a horror movie. They were unsurprisingly wearing the same pajamas in different colors. She fixed a small plate of meat and vegetables for both of them and called them over.

Mairu excitedly ran towards the table, while Kururi took her time making her way over. Namie handed both of them plates and began to make her own.

"Thanks, Namie-chan you're a lot nicer than our bastard of a brother." Mairu managed to say through a mouth full of food.

"We really appreciate this, it's been awhile since we've had a home cooked meal." Kururi shyly stated with a permanent blush on her face.

Namie didn't really pay attention to the twin's gratitude and began to wonder where the eldest Orihara had wondered off to.

Namie absentmindedly put down her plate and made her way upstairs. She wasn't really sure where his room was so she opened the door closest to her. It was a small room with pink wallpaper and a bunkbed, it obviously belonged to the twins. So she silently closed the door and made her way further down the hall.

The next room was definitely Izaya's. It was a plain looking room with blue wall, a small bed, a desk with a laptop, and a door that led to a closet. It was surprisingly neat, Namie couldn't figure out why, but she expected it to be a lot messier. The bed looked like it had never even been slept in. Namie had forgotten about finding Izaya and began snooping around the room. The closet was filled with dark clothing and hideous fur coats, the drawers contained socks and other miscellaneous clothing.

Namie was honestly disappointed she hadn't really spotted anything interesting in his room. She eventually got on the computer and the screen immediately turned on to show a chat room that had been recently logged out of. Namie minimized the page and looked at some some of the files saved onto the home screen. One particular file titled Ikebukuro caught Namie's attention. Although when she clicked on the icon, it immediately asked for a password.

"Looking for something?"

Namie turned to see Izaya at the door, she tried the hide heart attack his sudden appearance had given her, but the smirk on his face told her he'd already seen it.

"What are you doing in here?" he questioned

Namie had already exit out of the password box, but her mind was blank and she couldn't really think of a good excuse. So, she quickly fixed her composure and gained an air of confidence.

"Looking for you of course, dinner is ready."

"Well, my computer is a strange place for me to be hiding, isn't it?"

Namie dropped her defensive facade and casually approached Izaya.

"Well, you're a guy with one too many secrets, can you really blame a girl for trying."

Namie didn't notice how close she had gotten to Izaya, for a second neither of them said anything and simply gazed at each other. She stared into his auburn eyes and didn't seem to mind when he cupped her face and began to lean in closer.

"Namie-chan?"

Both teens quickly broke apart and stared at the smirking Mairu.

"Sorry Izaya, I came to check on Namie-chan, but by all means don't stop on my account."

Mairu skipped back down the stairs humming a happy tune with a smile on her face. Namie found that her heart was beating rapidly and she couldn't stop the blush that was quickly spreading onto her face. She couldn't bring herself to look at Izaya, so she didn't know whether or not he was staring at her and a moment of silence filled the room.

"I should be getting home."

Namie quickly rushed past Izaya, make her way down the stairs, wrapped up her plate of food, and both Izaya and Mairu watched Namie leave out the front door.

"Your girlfriend is really pretty Izaya, I think I have a crush on her."

.

Namie walked straight past Seiji and went to her room, her brother called out to her in confusion, but it was as if his voice couldn't reach her at the moment. She got to her room and dropped face down onto her bed. Namie was beginning to feel sick to her stomach, she couldn't believe she even allowed the lunatic to get that close to her. Namie desperately wanted to fall asleep, but all of her thoughts kept going back to him.

Eventually, tired of trying to fall asleep,she got up to take a bath. The warm water relaxed her mind and the pit her stomach began to settle down.

 _'It was nothing, just a spur of the moment that's all.'  
_  
Namie laid back in the bath to relax and continued to think similar comforting thoughts.

 _'There's no way. I could never be foolish enough to actually fall for a bastard like him...'  
_  
Namie began to become even more drowsy, her vision became blurred and her eyelids began to shut and only one thought occurred to her before she drifted away.

 _'...Right?'_

 _ **Thank you**_

 _ **xxHeadInTheStarsxx for following and reviewing**_


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